ARTHROPOD BIOLOGY Oviposition and Flight Activity of the Blue-Green Sharpshooter (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) on Southern California Wild Grape and First Report of Associated Egg Parasitoids

Oviposition of Graphocephala atropunctata (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), the blue-green sharpshooter, was assessed on wild grape, Vitis girdianaMunson, in southern California. Female blue-green sharpshooter preferred to oviposit into new growth, primarily succulent young grape tendrils and canes. Themidrib and petioles of small grape leaves also were used for oviposition, but to a lesser extent.Mature canes, andmediumand large-sized leaveswere not used for oviposition. Two parasitoids, Gonatocerus latipennis Girault and Polynema sp. (both Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) were reared from Þeld collected blue-green sharpshooter eggs. Polynema sp. and G. latipennis constitute the Þrst documented egg parasitoids of blue-green sharpshooter. Deployment of sentinel plants and reciprocal tests were implemented and further conÞrmed the parasitization of blue-green sharpshooter eggs by these two parasitoid species. Yellow sticky card trap catch of adult blue-green sharpshooter was signiÞcantly correlated to combined blue-green sharpshooter nymphal and Polynema sp. emergence in 2004, but not in 2005. A degree-day model was developed for onset of blue-green sharpshooter ßight activity and emergence in the Þeld.