INSECT PARASITES OF THE DARKSIDED CUTWORM, EUXOA MESSORIA (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE), IN ONTARIO

Abstract

AbstractIn the study of insect parasites of the darksided cutworm, Euxoa messoria (Harris), fourth- to seventh-instar larvae were collected from a field at Delhi, Ont., and reared in the laboratory. A total of 701 insect parasites including six species of Hymenoptera and four of Diptera, were reared from the 3970 darksided cutworm larvae collected in 1973 and 1974.Thirteen species of insect parasites of E. messoria are listed. Ten of these species were reared in the present study from E. messoria in Ontario and all of them are primary and internal parasites. Of the 10, only two have previously been reported as parasites of E. messoria. Host–parasite relationship and the degree of parasitism are given for the 10 species reared in Ontario.