APPARENT PARASITISM OF BEMISIA-ARGENTIFOLII (HOMOPTERA, ALEYRODIDAE) BY APHELINIDAE (HYMENOPTERA) ON VEGETABLE CROPS AND ASSOCIATED WEEDS IN SOUTH FLORIDA

Apparent parasitism of silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bello ws & Perring, by Encarsia spp. and Eretmocerus spp. was surveyed on se veral crop and weed species in southern Florida from 1990 to 1995. App arent parasitism levels varied between crops, seasons, and years, but generally were high on okra and cotton among crops, lantana and Spanis h needles among weeds. E. pergandiella Howard was the most dominant pa rasitoid species (43.7-100%), whereas incidence of E. transvena (Timbe rlake), E. nigricephala Dozier, E. quaintancei Howard, and Eretmocerus nr. californicus Howard varied by host plant and location. A greater proportion of B. argentifolii was parasitized by E. pergandiella on to mato than on collard and eggplant in a greenhouse choice test. (C) 199 7 Academic Press.