Will competition from Meteorus pulchricornis (Wesmael) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) limit the success of the potential biocontrol agent Cotesia urabae Austin & Allen (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
2010
Berndt, Lisa A.
The competitive ability of the generalist parasitoid Meteorus pulchricornis was compared with that of the proposed new biological control agent Cotesia urabae to determine the impact the former species might have on the ability of the agent to control its host Uraba lugens Walker (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) in New Zealand. Behavioural observations were made of females of each species exposed together to groups of U. lugens larvae. Meteorus pulchricornis did not successfully attack U. lugens in the presence of C. urabae, and the mortality of the host in the presence of M. pulchricornis alone did not differ from mortality when no parasitoids were present. The presence of M. pulchricornis in the same arena did not reduce the impact of C. urabae on U. lugens compared to controls. Field collections of U. lugens larvae found limited evidence of larval parasitism by M. pulchricornis. These results suggest that the resident parasitoid M. pulchricornis is unlikely to interfere with the success of the proposed biological control agent C. urabae, should it be introduced to New Zealand.
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