Enemigos naturales de Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) en las provincias centrales de Cuba

Spanish; Castilian. En el presente trabajo se describen los enemigos naturales de Heliothis virescens (Fab.) encontrados de 1973 a 1977 en las zonas tabacaleras del centro de la isla. Se incluyen notas sobre su importancia relativa y otros aspectos de interés a partir de datos obtenidos de la colecta sistemática de huevos y orugas, realizada en áreas donde no se han aplicado tratamientos químicos y por observación directa en el campo. No se encontraron parásitos atacando los huevos, mientras que en el estado larval se observaron varias especies, destacándose Diadegma sp. Apanteles sp. y Cardiochiles nigriceps (Vier.). Se observaron tres especies de míridos que atacan a los huevos y orugas del primer estadío, destacándose por su abundancia Cyrtopeltis varians (Distant), así como a la avispa Polistes cubensis Lepeletier que ataca a orugas de los últimos estadíos. Se reporta una nueva planta hospedera para Cyrtopeltis varians y Macrolephus praeclarus (Distant) y dos plantas hospederas para C. tenuis Reuter.

English. To prepare a rational programme to control an insect pest it is very important to know the natural enemies. However, natural enemies of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Fab.) has not been studied deeply in our country. Natural enemies of this pest found from 1973 to 1977 in the tobacco growing areas of the center of the island are described here; also, notes about its relative importance are included. These data were obtained by the sistematic colections of eggs and larvae of areas without chemicals treatments principally and the direct observations in the field. Parasites were not found attacking eggs, but several species were observed on the larval stage, mainly Diadegma sp., Apanteles sp. and Cardiochiles nigriceps (Vier.) Three species of mirids which attack eggs and first instar larvae were observed, especially Cyrtopeltis varians (Dist.) which was the most abundant. Polistes cubensis Lepeletier which attack the last instar was also found. A new host plant of Cyrtopeltis varians and Macrolophus praeclarus. A new host plant of Cyrtopeltis varians and Macrolophus praeclarus (Distant) and two host plants of C. tenuis Reuter are reported too.