The parasitoids of the aleyrodid Bemisia tabaci in Israel: development, host preference and discrimination of the aphelinid wasp Eretmocerus mundus
1985
Foltyn, Shoshana | Gerling, Dan
Developmental history and behavior of Eretmocerus mundus Mercet, a parasitoid of Bemisia tabaci was studied at 25 °C. The eggs may be laid under all four nymphal instars but not under the pupa. Yet the second and third instars are preferred. The egg hatches only under the fourth instar or the pupa. Developmental medians at 25 °C are: Instar I-2.5, II-4, II-4, prepupa-2 and pupa 8 days. When ovipositing, the female stands at an angle of 90° to the host, with wings raised and inserts the ovipositor under the whitefly nymph. The egg is laid close to the insertion point of the whitefly's proboscis into the leaf. After oviposition, the female apparently marks the host while drumming on it with her hind legs. She distinguishes already parasitized hosts from unparasitized ones and refrains from laying under the former. Discrimination is accomplished after antennal drumming only.
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