Psorocampa denticulata (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) pupae as an alternative host for Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Abstract

Psorocampa denticulata Schaus (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is a pest of Eucalyptus species (Myrtales: Myrtaceae) in Brazil. The pre-pupa stage of this species is present in the soil surrounding infested trees for up to 6 mo during the dry season and can be collected and stored in large numbers. The potential use of P. denticulata pupae as an alternative host for rearing the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was tested in the laboratory. Up to 24-h-old P. denticulata pupae (787.40 ± 78.29 mg) were individually exposed to twenty 72-h-old P. elaeisis females for 48 h. These exposed pre-pupae were individually transferred to a glass tube for the emergence either of parasitoid progeny or of the adult lepidopteran. The parasitism and emergence rates of P. elaeisis from P. denticulata pupae were 100 and 90%, respectively. The life cycle (egg to adult) was 22.22 ± 0.49 days, and the number of progeny of this parasitoid was 734.55 ± 54.56 per host. We concluded that this generalist parasitoid could be mass reared on P. denticulata pupae and released as part of an integrated program to manage lepidopteran pests in eucalyptus plantations.