Melittobia acasta (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) female longevity and life stage-dependent parasitism using commercially managed Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) as hosts

Abstract

Abstract Melittobia acasta Walker is one among other hymenopterous parasitoids of Megachile rotundata F. Commercial M. rotundata populations are employed to pollinate North American alfalfa for seed production. This wasp can be prolific when using M. rotundata as a host and can reduce or destroy bee stocks. Hundreds of M. acasta female offspring can develop in a single M. rotundata cell and disperse to infest other cells, producing thousands of more parasitoids. In this study, we determined (i) upon what bee life stages M. acasta females choose to lay eggs and if those eggs ultimately become adults and (ii) M. acasta female longevity when exposed to various resources within M. rotundata cells. We found that M. acasta females lay eggs on M. rotundata prepupae and pupae and that those eggs can hatch and survive to adulthood. Eggs are not laid on early instar bee larvae; eggs laid on adults do not survive. Average female life span is 5 days without feeding, 8–9 days if a pollen–nectar provision is available while the bee develops through larval stages, and 34 days if the wasp can feed on prepupal hemolymph. Wasp females can emerge from bee cells several days after trays of cells are taken to fields. Therefore, adult females could survive long enough for new bee offspring to become prepupae. Our findings support a better understanding of host life stage preference and the longevity of M. acasta females that can inform the timing of the implementation of possible control measures.