Authors: Geden, C. J.; Kaufman, P. E.

Source: Environmental Entomology, Volume 36, Number 1, February 2007 , pp. 34-39(6)

Publisher: Entomological Society of America

Abstract:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the suitability of killed house fly (Musca domestica L) pupae for production of two economically important pupal parasitoids. Two-day-old fly pupae were subjected to heat shock treatments of varying temperatures and durations in an oven at ≥70% RH; exposure to temperatures of 55°C or higher for 15 min or longer resulted in 100% mortality. Exposure to 50°C resulted in 40 and 91% mortality at 15 and 60 min, respectively. All (100%) pupae placed in a −80°C freezer were killed after 10-min exposure; exposure times of <5 min resulted in <21% mortality. Progeny production of Spalangia cameroni Perkins and Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders (Hymeoptera: Pteromalidae) from pupae killed by heat shock or 50 kR of gamma radiation was not significantly different from production on live hosts on the day when pupae were killed. Freeze-killed pupae produced 16% fewer S. cameroni than live pupae and an equivalent amount of M. raptor progeny on the day when pupae were killed. When killed pupae were stored in freezer bags at 4°C for 4 mo, heat-killed, irradiated, and freeze-killed pupae remained as effective for production of M. raptor as live pupae. Production of S. cameroni on heat-killed and irradiated pupae was equal to parasitoid production on live pupae for up to 2 mo of storage, after which production on killed pupae declined to 63% of that observed with live pupae. Production of S. cameroni on freeze-killed pupae was 73-78% of production using live pupae during weeks 2-8 of storage and declined to 41 and 28% after 3 and 4 mo, respectively. Killing pupae by heat shock provides a simple and low-cost method for stockpiling high-quality hosts for mass-rearing both of these filth fly biological control agents.

Keywords: Muscidifurax raptor; Spalangia cameroni; Pteromalidae; house fly; biological control

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: USDA-ARS, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, 1600 SW 23rd Dr., Gainesville, FL 32608; Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, USA

Publication date: 2007-02-01

More about this publication?

• Environmental Entomology is published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October, and December. The journal publishes reports on the interaction of insects with the biological, chemical, and physical aspects of their environment and is divided into the following sections: physiological ecology; chemical ecology; population ecology; quantitative ecology; community and ecosystem ecology; biological control­-parasitoids and predators; biological control--microbials; biological control--weeds; behavior; pest management; sampling; plant-insect interactions; molecular ecology and evolution; transgenic plants and insects. In addition to research papers, Environmental Entomology publishes Letters to the Editor, interpretive articles in a Forum section, and Book Reviews.
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