A survey on pupae parasitoid species of Dendrolimus houi (Lajonquiere) (Lepidoptera, Lasiocampidae) in China

Abstract

Cryptomeria japonica var. sinensis Miquel in south China is currently overwhelmingly infested by a native caterpillar species, Dendrolimus houi (Lepidoptera), which is causing severe economic losses and ecological disasters in both planted and natural forests. Our results include report of five parasitoid species and eight parasitoid flies within D. houi and a dominant endoparasitoid species Kriechbaumerella dendrolimi, which attacks pupae of D. houi with a high parasitism rate. This result might be helpful to improve better identification and application in the future for potential biological control of D. houi in the forests of east Asia.