DEVELOPMENTAL TIME AND HOST SELECTION BY THE APHID PARASITOID APHELINUS SP NR VARIPES (FOERSTER) (HYMENOPTERA, APHELINIDAE)

Developmental rates, lower developmental threshold, host selection among three species of aphid, and head capsule width were determined for the parasitoid Aphelinus sp. nr. varipes (Foerster) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). Aphid species used were Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), western wheat aphid, Diuraphis tritici (Gillette), and corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch. Developmental rate was determined at five constant temperatures, 11.3, 14.7, 19.0, 25.7, and 30.3-degrees-C. Developmental times of the wasp were similar in Russian and western wheat aphids, ranging from 88.7 days at 11.3-degrees-C to 11.3 days at 30.3-degrees-C. Lower developmental threshold was similar in both species, 9.7-degrees-C in Russian wheat aphid and 9.4-degrees-C in western wheat aphid. Because of the low number of com leaf aphids parasitized, it was not possible to compute a parasitoid development threshold in that host. In the host selection test, there were no significant differences in numbers of Russian and western wheat aphids attacked; com leaf aphid was seldom attacked. The western wheat aphid is a native species that also causes leaf-rolling; we believe it was the primary host of the parasitoid before the arrival of the Russian wheat aphid. Wasps emerging from Russian wheat aphid were consistently larger than those emerging from western wheat aphid. Mean head capsule width for 30 female wasps from Russian wheat aphid was 0.33 mm; from 30 female wasps from western wheat aphid mean head capsule width was 0.20 mm.