Studies on Marietta Carnesi (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), a Hyperparasite of Diaspine Scales (Homoptera: Diaspididae)

Abstract

The eggs laid were oval in shape, measuring 174μ long and 62μ wide. Newly-hatched larvae had 4 pairs of spiracles, while matured larvae had 8 pairs. The pupae, 895μ long and 435μ wide, was milky-white in color just after pupation but became blackish brown later. The larvae appeared in 3 or 4 days after being deposited at 25°C. Pupation took place 6-7 days later. The length of the pupal stage was 10 days. The threshold of the development and thermal constant for completion of immature stages was 12.7°C and 259 day-degrees, respectively. The length of adult life was about 30 days when fed on diluted honey. Adults appeared from mid April to the later part of November at Miyazaki. The insect may repeat 8 generations a year in Miyazaki and 7 in Fukuoka. It was clarified that the eggs were deposited on living adult diaspidids containing larvae of the primary parasite, without distinction of the generation, when the host density was decreased. The eggs deposited in such a manner in November hatched in the winter and drowned, since the body content of the scale was not yet eaten by the primary parasite. © 1974, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.