Abstract
Tetrastichus planipennisi Yang (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), a gregarious larval endoparasitoid, is one of three biocontrol agents from Asia currently being released in the United States to combat the invasive emerald ash borer,
Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae). The current protocol for rearing
T. planipennisi involves presenting the wasps with artifcially infested ash sticks made by placing field-collected larvae into shallow grooves beneath flaps of bark. Although third and fourth instars are readily accepted by
T. planipennisi in these exposures, the suitability of younger or older developmental stages, which are often more readily available in the field, has not been tested. In this study, we used both artifcially infested ash sticks and naturally infested ash logs to test which emerald ash borer developmental stages (second to fourth instars, J larvae [preprepupae], prepupae, and pupae) are most suitable for rearing
T. planipennisi. T. planipennisi parasitized all stages except for pupae, but parasitized fewer J larvae and prepupae in naturally infested logs than in artifcially infested ash sticks.
Keywords
classical biological control,
concealed host,
exotic,
forest pest,
non-native
Citation
Ulyshen, Michael D.; Duan, Jian J.; Bauer, Leah S.; Fraser, Ivich. 2010. Suitability and accessibility of immature Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) stages to Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Journal of Economic Entomology. 103(4): 1080-1085.
