Studies On The Chalcidid Pupal Parasitoids Of The Coconut Caterpillar Opisina Arenosella Walker In Kerala, India
| dc.contributor.author | Pillai, G.B. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Ramachandran Nair, K. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2014-08-11T05:54:08Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2014-08-11T05:54:08Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1993 | |
| dc.description.abstract | The coconut caterpillar Opisina arenosetla Walker has a Brachymeria - dominated parasitoid community in Kerala, among which Brachymeria nosaloi Habu is the most important species, followed by B. nephan-tidis Gahan. The females of B. nosatoi, B. nephantidis, B. atteviae Joseph el a!., B. lasus (Walker) and Antrocephalus hakonensis (Ashm.) are monandrous, but their males are polygynous. B. nosatoi possesses the essential attributes of an effective biocontrol agent. It adheres to rigid selection of males and elaborate courtship, provides higher percentage parasitism, breeds weil in summer months and prolonged drought conditions and disperses uniformly in pest-infested coconut gardens. However, at present it dominates over the south Kerala tracts only. The males of Brachymeria, during courtship, press the wings and abdomen of the female with their antennae from the rear, while A. hakonensis mounts on. the female to have an antenna! to antennal contact. B. nosatoi presses the wings (and abdomen), slightly rubs on the wings upwards, rocks the female and inseminates without jerking. B. nephantidis presses the wings only and inseminates with jerking. B. lasus places the antennae over the wings, applies more downward pressure at frequent intervals, rocks the female, slightly rubs downwards and mates without jerking. B. atteviae rubs the wings down and up, rocks and mates with jerking. Mating in Brachymeria spp. lasts 4-12 seconds. A. hakonensis does not select males. Courtship is also simple and it mates with jerking, for 25 to 35 seconds. The life cycles of four species of Brachymeria are almost identical and completed in 12 to 20 days. Their adults survive to parasitise 2 to 3 generations of the pest. A, hakonensis has a longer life cycTe of 16 to 23 days. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.citation | Entomon 1993 v. 17 p.183-192 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/4677 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.subject | Brachymeria spp. | en_US |
| dc.subject | Antrocephalus | en_US |
| dc.subject | courtship behaviour | en_US |
| dc.subject | life cycle | en_US |
| dc.subject | biological suppression | en_US |
| dc.subject | Opisina arenosella | en_US |
| dc.title | Studies On The Chalcidid Pupal Parasitoids Of The Coconut Caterpillar Opisina Arenosella Walker In Kerala, India | en_US |
| dc.type | Article | en_US |