Comparative Biology of the Two Scelionid Egg Parasites of Nezara Viridula L. (Hemiptera : Pentatomidae)

Abstract

The general bionomics of the principal egg parasites of the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula L., namely Asolcus mitsukurii Ashmead and Telenomus nakagawai Watanabe, were studied. A. mitsukurii differs considerably from T. nakagawai in the following points. 1) A. mitsukurii is polyphagous and prefers the pentatomids which deposit eggs in a small egg mass, while T. nakagawai is oligophagous and prefers large egg mass of pentatomids such as N. viridula or N. antennata. 2) A. mitsukurii is bisexual and the first egg deposited by a mated female was always a male, but T. nakagawai is unisexual producing female progeny by parthenogenesis. 3) Both sexes of A. mitsukurii have aggressive behavior, but T. nakagawai is not aggressive. 4) The developmental period of the female A. mitsukurii at 25°C was shorter by about 3 days than that of T. nakagawai, but the female of the latter was more prolific and lived longer than the former. These specific properties were discussed in comparison with those of other egg parasites of Nezara. © 1966, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.