STUDIES ON DIPTEROUS PARASITES OF THE SPRUCE BUDWORM, CHORISTONEURA FUMIFERANA (CLEM.) (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE): VII. AGRIA AFFINIS (FALL.) (DIPTERA : SARCOPHAGIDAE)

Abstract

Agria affinis (Fall.), a holarctic parasite of Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, and Hymenoptera and one of the more common of the native sarcophagid parasites of Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.) in British Columbia, deposits first stage larvae on or near the late larval and pupal stages of the host. The larvae penetrate the host integument and complete their development inside the host, dropping to the ground to overwinter as puparia. Adults emerge the following spring. The species was reared in the laboratory continuously on pork liver. Mated females had a prelarviposition period of about 21 days and deposited larvae for up to 45 days. Larval development was completed in 5 to 8 days, and at 21 ± 1 °C and 60% R.H. the puparia formed within 24 hours. The adults emerged from puparia after 10 to 14 days if dormancy did not intervene. A. affinis is propagated continuously in the laboratory, as the stock now appears to have no significant pupal diapause. Among the important characters for identifying its immature stages are the forms of the buccopharyngeal apparatus and of the anterior and posterior spiracles.