OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOR OF ANAPHES-IOLE, AN EGG PARASITOID OF LYGUS-HESPERUS (HYMENOPTERA, MYMARIDAE, HETEROPTERA, MIRIDAE)

Host searching and handling behavior of the egg parasitoid Anaphes iol e Girault toward Lygus hesperus Knight eggs was observed in the labora tory on fresh green beans. The host eggs are embedded in plant tissues with only the egg cap exposed above the substrate. Three ethograms we re developed to describe the behavior of female parasitoids toward hea lthy eggs, parasitized (marked) eggs, and host oviposition wounds not containing eggs. Females intensely antennated and probed 95% of health y eggs and 42% of wounds. When oviposition occurred, females marked th e host eggs externally and, if reencountered, briefly antennated and t hen rejected all marked eggs, thus preventing superparasitism. The tim e spent by parasitoids in each behavioral step when encountering healt hy eggs, marked eggs, or wounds was compared. Behavior of naive (Ist e gg encountered) versus experienced females (later eggs encountered) wa s also analyzed. Experienced females accepted and handled host eggs mo re rapidly compared with naive females.