SEASONAL ABUNDANCE AND ACTIVITY OF INDIGENOUS HYMENOPTEROUS PARASITOIDS ATTACKING THE HOUSE FLY (DIPTERA: MUSCIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractEight species of hymenopterous parasitoids were reared from field-collected house fly puparia. The three most abundant parasitoid species, Spalangia nigroaenea Curtis, S. endius Walker, and Muscidifurax raptor Girault and Sanders, were capable of parasitizing up to 90% of hosts at certain times of year. The Spalangia spp. were the most effective parasitoids during most of the fly breeding season. Changes in parasitoid species abundance and rates of parasitism were apparently due to temperature and other habitat conditions.