PARASITISM OF THE CONE MOTH EUCOSMA RESCISSORIANA (LEPIDOPTERA: OLETHREUTIDAE) IN NORTHERN IDAHO

Abstract

AbstractTwelve species of parasitic insects were associated with Eucosma rescissoriana Heinrich in western white pine, Pinus monticola Douglas, cones in northern Idaho from 1963 to 1965. Pimplopterus n. sp. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Chelonus petrovae McComb (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Apanteles starki Mason (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), and Psalidopteryx psilocorsiphaga Brooks (Diptera: Tachinidac), in order of decreasing abundance, accounted for approximately 95% of the total parasitism. One additional species, Bracon rhyacioniae (Muesebeck) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), was present locally in small numbers. The four major species increased their rates of parasitism from 9.4 to 40.9% in one area during this 3-year study and were shown to be effective natural control agents of E. rescissoriana in seed-production areas.