Insect Host Preference by the Larval-pupal Endoparasitoid Opius pallipes Wesmail (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) Ecological and Biological Studies in Ojilate Region Libya

Abstract

Insect host preference by the larval pupal endoparasitoid Opius. pallipes was studied in Ojilate  region in western Libya using broad bean (Vecia faba) as a host plant and the two leafmininig species, the American serpentine leaf miner Liriomyza trifolii (Burgess) and the tomato leaf miner  Liriomyza bryonia (Kaltenbach). Three peaks of abundance were recorded by O. pallipes  on both insect hosts L. bryonia  and L. trifolii. On brad bean a peak was exhibited with (81 individuals/ 100 infested leaflets) with L. trifolii whereas a peak of (31 individuals/ 100 infested leaflets) was exhibited with L. bryonia. The lowest count was observed with (33 individuals/ 100 infested leaflets) on L. trifolii and with (27 individuals/ 100 infested leaflets) on L. bryonia. Under laboratory conditions, insect host preference of the parasitoid O. pallipes was tested. The Results indicated that number of eggs and parasitized larvae per parasitoid female were significantly higher on            L. trifolii than L. bryonia in the choice test with (9.2±3.9 eggs/female and 7.0±2.9 host larvae/female, on L. trifolii than L. bryonia respectively). On the other hand number of parasitized larvae per female was significantly higher in no choice test with (9.2±2.3 parasitized larva/female and 7.1±3.0 parasitized larva/female, on L. trifolii than L. bryonia respectively).