Oviposition and host-feeding behaviors of encarsia smithi on a tea-infesting population of the citrus spiny whitefly aleurocanthus spiniferus

Abstract

The oviposition and host-feeding behaviors of Encarsia smithi (Silvestri) (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) on a tea-infesting population of Aleurocanthus spiniferus (Quaintance) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) were observed under laboratory conditions. The following events were recorded for the host-searching and oviposition behaviors of E. smithi: 1) random walking, 2) walking while drumming, 3) drumming on the host after encountering it, 4) turning backward and everting the ovipositor, 5) inserting the ovipositor, 6) liquid flowing inside the ovipositor, 7) adopting the ovipositioning posture while standing still, and 8) cleaning the ovipositor with the hind legs. Host-feeding behavior was observed after turning backward and everting the ovipositor. The following events were recorded for the host-feeding behavior of E. smithi: 1) repeatedly inserting and withdrawing the ovipositor, 2) turning forward, 3) searching for the wound in the host, and 4) feeding on the host's fluids. Each adult female wasp deposited an average of 67.6 eggs and killed an average of 14.0 hosts by host feeding. In addition, the mean oviposition time of E. smithi was 1,682.7 s, which is markedly longer than that reported for congeneric species.