EFFECTS OF SQUASH LEAF TRICHOME EXUDATES AND HONEY ON ADULT FEEDING, SURVIVAL, AND FECUNDITY OF THE SQUASH BUG (HETEROPTERA, COREIDAE) EGG PARASITOID GRYON PENNSYLVANICUM (HYMENOPTERA, SCELIONIDAE)

A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine whether leaf exudat es could be used as a source of adult nutrition for the squash bug, An asa tristis (De Geer), egg parasitoid, Gryon pennsylvanicum (Ashmead), and to compare adult and progeny fitness traits when female wasps wer e provided with squash leaves, a standard honey diet, a combination of leaves and honey, or water only. Results showed that fecundity, proge ny developmental rates, and progeny survival did not differ significan tly when females were exposed to different dietary sources. Adult long evity was shorter on squash leaves without honey than on leaves with h oney or the honey-only diet. However, reproductive fitness was not red uced because oviposition had been completed before death of the adult females. When only water was provided, parasitoid females lived only a few days. Observations showed that squash leaves have two kinds of tr ichomes (hair-like and peg-like), both of which produce droplets that are fed on by both sexes of G. pennsylvanicum. Nutrient analyses revea led that exudates from the hair-like trichomes are composed predominan tly of monosaccharides (mainly glucose and galactose), and that the pe g-like trichomes produce glucose and some protein. Thus, these trichom es appear to serve as extrafloral nectaries and may provide an importa nt energy source for augmentatively released G. pennsylvanicum.