Effect of Noctuidonema guyanense (Nematoda : Acugutturidae) on the longevity of feral male Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) moths

Noctuidonema guyanense Remillet and Silvain is an ectoparasitic nematode of certain species of adult Lepidoptera, particularly Noctuidae, in the Weste rn Hemisphere. It is transferred to a new host when the insects mate. Survi val of infested and uninfested feral adult males of Spodoptera frugiperda ( J. E. Smith), the fall armyworm, was compared at three different temperatur e regimens (20 degrees C, 30 degrees C, and 30/20 degrees C) at 14:10 L/D a t 80% RH. Apparent age differences were controlled by pairing moths having the same amount of scale loss. Overall mean nematode infestations of 239.3 and 0 in infested and uninfested groups produced significantly different me an longevity of 3.7 and 6.2 days, respectively. At 20 degrees C, survival o f both groups increased to 6.2 and 13.3 days, but remained significantly di fferent. The results demonstrate a deleterious effect of Noctuidonema infes tation on longevity of feral adult male S. frugiperda.