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- Title
Factors Affecting the Flight Capacity of Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a Classical Biological Control Agent of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae).
- Authors
FAHRNER, SAMUEL J.; LELITO, JONATHAN P.; BLAEDOW, KAREN; HEIMPEL, GEORGE E.; AUKEMA, BRIAN H.
- Abstract
The dispersal characteristics of a biological control agent can have direct implications on the ability of that agent to control populations of a target host. Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is a parasitic wasp native to eastern Asia that has been introduced into the United States as part of a classical biological control program against the emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae).We used computer-monitored flight mills to investigate the role of age, feeding status, mating status, and size on the flight capacity of female T. planipennisi over a 24-h period. We also compared flight capacity between sexes. Flight distance of female T. planipennisi representative of populations released in the biological control program averaged 1.26 km in 24 h with a maximum flight of just over 7 km. Median flight distance, however, was 422m. The flight capacity of females fed a honey-water solution was 41X that of females provided only water, who flew very little. Larger females were capable of flying farther distances, but age did not affect the flight capacity of females up to 70 d posteclosion. Females dispersed 6X farther than did their smaller, male counterparts. The implications of our findings to host-parasitoid interactions and release protocols for distributing T. planipennisi are discussed.
- Subjects
TETRASTICHUS; EMERALD ash borer; BIOLOGICAL control of insects; INSECT flight; HOSTS of parasitoids; HOST-parasite relationships
- Publication
Environmental Entomology, 2014, Vol 43, Issue 6, p1603
- ISSN
0046-225X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1603/EN14139