Compatibility of Insect Growth Regulators with Eretmocerus eremicus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) for Whitefly (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) Control on Poinsettias

t g a 1 a c w ( a e c a e The compatibility of five insect growth regulators (IGRs), buprofezin, pyriproxyfen, fenoxycarb, pymetrozine, and kinoprene, were tested in the laboratory for compatibility with the whitefly parasitoid Eretmocerus eremicus Rose and Zolnerowich (Hymeoptera: Aphelinidae). The survivorship of adult paraitoids foraging on poinsettia leaves with residues 6, 4, and 96 h of age was determined. The toxicity of emisia argentifolii Bellows and Perring (Homoptera: leyrodidae) patches treated with IGRs presented to emale parasitoids 24 and 96 h posttreatment was uantified. Survivorship of immature E. eremicus deeloping within B. argentifolii nymphs was deterined by treating whitefly nymphs with IGRs 5 and 13 ays postoviposition by female parasitoids. Finally, ehavioral observations of female parasitoids foragng on IGR-treated and untreated B. argentifolii atches presented simultaneously were quantified to etermine whether IGR residues had a repellant effect oward E. eremicus. Averaging ranks for IGRs based n their compatibility with E. eremicus and their abilty to kill B. argentifolii nymphs produced the followng parasitoid compatibility order: buprofezin > enoxycarb > pymetrozine 5 pyriproxyfen > kinoprene. Further work in greenhouses assessing the efficacy of buprofezin with E. eremicus for B. argentifolii control on poinsettias is recommended. © 2000 Academic