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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #140121
Title: PARASITOIDS AND PARASITES OF SPODOPTERA FRUGIPERDA (J.E. SMITH) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) IN THE AMERICAS AND CARIBBEAN BASIN: AN INVENTORY

Author
item MOLINA-OCHOA, JAIME - COLIMA, MEXICO
item Carpenter, James
item HEINRICHS, E - LINCOLN, NEBRASKA
item FOSTER, JOHN - LINCOLN, NEBRASKA

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2003
Publication Date: 9/1/2003
Citation: Molina-Ochoa, J., Carpenter, J.E., Heinrichs, E.A., Foster, J.E. 2003. Parasitoids and parasites of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Americas and Caribbean basin: An inventory. Florida Entomologist. 86(3):254-289.

Interpretive Summary: The fall armyworm causes considerable economic losses to many different crops in most of the countries in the Western Hemisphere. We summarize the information and provide an inventory of the known FAW parasites and parasitoids occurring in the Americas and the Caribbean, indicating the host stage attacked, the crops from which parasitized fall armyworm were collected, and the country of collection. In addition, because parasites and parasitoids of the pupal and adult stages of FAW have received little attention in most previous reviews on this subject, we provide an expanded discussion of these natural enemies.

Technical Abstract: An inventory of parasitoids and parasites of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), was conducted using references describing parasitized FAW eggs, larvae, pupae and adults collected from different crops or habitats throughout the Americas and the Caribbean basin. The crops and countries where these parasites were reported occurring in the Americas is also inventoried. Maize was the crop where the FAW was more frequently collected followed by rice. Overall, Chelonus insularis (Cresson) had the broadest natural distribution in the Americas. For the North American region C. insulares, Chelonus sp., and Euplectrus platyhypenae (Howard) were the most relevant parasitoids. In Central America, C. insularis was the most prevalent parasitoid, and in the South American region the most prevalent parasites were Archytas incertus (Macq.), A. marmoratus (Tns.), C. insularis, and Meteorus laphygmae (Viereck). Diapetimorpha introita (Cresson) is the most important pupal parasitoid of FAW occurring in North America, mainly. An acugutturid, Noctuidonema guyanense (Remillet & Silvain), is the most important ectoparasitic nematode attacking adults of FAW and other noctuid moths in South and Southeastern US, and Mexico in North America, Caribbean Basin, Central America, and Northern South America.