Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), a new alternative host for egg parasitoid Ooencyrtus kuvanae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)
Résumé
One of the most important egg parasitoids of gypsy moth is Ooencyrtus kuvanae (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). We have already developed a method to rear O. kuvanae on the laboratory host Philosamia ricini (Danovan) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). In order to try to optimize the rearing of this oophagous parasitoid, we used an alternative host Halyomorpha halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). However, H. halys has rapidly become an important pest of several crops in many countries. The study was conducted at the INRAE-PACA UEVT, Laboratory of Biological Control located in Antibes, France. The laboratory conditions were 25 ± 1°C, 60 ± 5% RH and a photoperiod of 18:6 hr L:D. Halyomorpha halys was successfully reared in our biocontrol laboratory. The reproduction of the parasitoid is arrhenotoky and O. kuvane was reared for more than ten generations on the eggs of H. halys. O. kuvanae could be a candidate for future research as a biological control agent against an important pest, H. halys, and that insect may be a suitable alternative host for rearing of egg parasitoid O kuvanae.