EFFECTS OF VENOMS FROM TWO APHID HYPERPARASITOIDS, ASAPHES LUCENS AND DENDROCERUS CARPENTERI (HYMENOPTERA: PTEROMALIDAE AND MEGASPILIDAE), ON LARVAE OF APHIDIUS SMITHI (HYMENOPTERA: APHIDIIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractVenom of the hyperparasitoid Asaphes lucens (Provancher) immediately paralyzed and stopped development of the larva of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius smithi Sharma and Subba Rao, which did not void a meconium and deteriorated into a soft, blackened mass. On the other hand, venom of a second hyperparasitoid, Dendrocerus carpenteri (Curtis), did not immediately paralyze the larva of A. smithi, which developed up to the prepupal stage, voided a meconium, and remained bright yellow for up to 4–6 weeks before decaying.