Bhp. Bueno et al., PARASITISM BY APHIDIUS-ERVI (HYM, APHIDIIDAE) - PREFERENCE FOR PEA APHID AND BLUE ALFALFA APHID (HOM, APHIDIDAE) AND COMPETITION WITH A-SMITHI, Entomophaga, 38(2), 1993, pp. 273-284
The pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) and the blue alfalfa aphid
A. kondoi Shinji are pests of alfalfa Medicago sativa L. worldwide. Th
e parasitoid Aphidium ervi Haliday attacks both species and A. smithi
is host specific to pea aphid Experiments were conducted to determine
the preference of A. ervi for A. pisum and A. kondoi at three densitie
s of hosts using the percentages of parasitism and superparasitism, an
d the distribution of eggs among hosts as criteria. Also examined was
the outcome of competition between the two parasitoids when exposed to
the same hosts. A. ervi attacks more A. pisum when provided alone (no
choice test) and when provided together in equal numbers with A. kond
oi (choice test). There was no significant difference in the number of
progeny produced by either parasitoid when a female of each species w
as introduced simultaneously into the same test unit containing A. pis
um hosts. The effects of the pathogen Pandora neoaphidis on this compe
tition is reviewed.