We examined the relationship of yellow sticky trap captures of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B parasitoids to the local population of parasitoids as measured by leaf samples of parasitized whiteflies and mass release of parasitoids. Traps were placed in experimental collard and cowpea field plots in Charleston, SC, and in commercial organic fields of spring cantaloupe and watermelon in the...

The mode of penetration of parasitoids belonging to the genus Eretmocerus into whitefly larvae and their immature development were examined. Examination included scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy of stained and unstained whole mounts and sections. The Eretmocerus larva pierces the venter of its host shortly after hatching, and subsequently enters the host through the same hole. ...

Since 1991 Bemisia argentifolii, the silverleaf whitefly (SLWF), has caused annual crop losses of $500 million in the USA including crucifer crops in California and Texas. Foreign exploration for (SLWF) natural enemies has been carried out in 25 countries including SE Spain where the agricultural system is similar to parts of Texas and California where (SLWF) is a pest. Parasitized (SLWF) were ...

Climatic matching and pre-release performance evaluation were useful predictors of parasitoid establishment in a retrospective analysis of a classical biological control program against Bemisia tabaci biotype ‘‘B’’ in the USA. Laboratory evaluation of 19 imported and two indigenous parasitoid species in quarantine on B. tabaci showed that the Old World Eretmocerus spp, had the highest attack ra...

Seven species of the subgenus Polistella Ashmead of the genus Polistes Latreille including a new species, P. brunetus Nguyen & Kojima, sp. n. described here, are recognized to occur in northeastern Vietnam, the easternmost part of the eastern slope of the Himalayas. A key to these species is provided. Their distributional records are remarked. Nests of P. delhiensis Das & Gupta, P. mandarinus d...

Many intracellular microbial symbionts of arthropods are strictly vertically transmitted and manipulate their host's reproduction in ways that enhance their own transmission. Rare horizontal transmission events are nonetheless necessary for symbiont spread to novel host lineages. Horizontal transmission has been mostly inferred from phylogenetic studies but the mechanisms of spread are still la...

Contagious sterility in the parasitoid wasp Eretmocerus mundus (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae) Elad Chiel a , Dan Gerling b , Shimon Steinberg c , Johannette Klapwijk d , Karel Bolckmans d & Einat Zchori-Fein a a Department of Entomology, Newe-Ya'ar Research Center, RamatYishay, 30095, ARO, Israel b Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, 69978, Israel c Bio-Bee Biological Systems, K...

Eretmocerus eremicus is the most abundant parasitoid of the Bemisia complex in North America. It can parasitize equally successfully the most common whiteflies in greenhouses, Trialeurodes vaporariorum and the Bemisia complex. The parasitoid is used in Europe for whitefly control, either alone or in combination with releases of Encarsia formosa. Life-cycle and demographic parameters of this par...

A major component of the evaluation of biological control agents is the study and comparison of their biology, including the reproductive mode. In hymenopteran parasitoids, reproductive modes include thelytoky and arrhenotoky. Since a thelytokous population produces only females, it is assumed that they may be better suited for biological control than an arrhenotokous population. Here we compar...