Natural enemies of cranberry fruitworm, Acrobasis vaccinii, (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Michigan highbush blueberries

Abstract

A two-year study was conducted in Michigan highbush blueberries to determine the complex of parasitoids attacking cranberry fruitworm, Acrobasis vaccinii. Eight parasitoid species and one fungal pathogen were collected. Parasitism of collected hosts ranged from 6.6% to 28.1%. The more common larval parasitoid encountered was Campoletis patsuiketorum (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae). The more common parasitoid recovered from fruitworm hibernacula was Villa lateralis (Diptera: Bombyliidae). This study documented six unreported natural enemies of cranberry fruitworm, including C. patsuiketorum; V. lateralis; Diadegma compressum (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae); Compsilura concinnata. (Diptera: Tachinidae); Memorilla pyste (Diptera: Tachinidae); an undescribed Microtypus species (Hymenoptera: Braconidae); and a fungal pathogen, Paecilomyces near farinosus. This is the first known host association for the undescribed Microtypus species, and increases the known parasitoid complex of cranberry fruitworm to 17 species.