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Title: The first host records for the Nearctic species Triraphis discoideus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae)

Author
item Kula, Robert
item LILL, JOHN - GEORGE WASH., UNIV.
item MURPHY, SHANNON - GEORGE WASH., UNIV.
item STOEPLERM, TERESA - GEORGE WASH., UNIV.

Submitted to: Entomological News
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/9/2008
Publication Date: 8/1/2009
Citation: Kula, R.R., Lill, J.T., Murphy, S., Stoeplerm, T. 2009. The first host records for the Nearctic species Triraphis discoideus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Rogadinae). Entomological News. 20(4):380-386.

Interpretive Summary: Parasitic wasps attack pests that cause billions of dollars of damage to forests and horticultural plants annually. The parasitic wasp treated in this paper attacks caterpillars that feed on trees that are harvested by the timber industry to produce wood products and sold commercially as horticultural plants throughout the US. This paper reports the first host records for this wasp which will help determine its impact as a natural enemy of these caterpillars. Nine caterpillar species on five tree species are attacked. This paper will be useful to scientists conducting research on caterpillars in eastern deciduous forests, as well as personnel responsible for control of forest and horticultural pests.

Technical Abstract: Limacodid larvae were collected from 2004 – 2007 on leaves of the following host plants in the District of Columbia and Maryland: Carya glabra, pignut hickory; Quercus alba, white oak; Quercus rubra, northern red oak; Nyssa sylvatica, black gum; Prunus serotina, black cherry; and Fagus grandifolia, American beech. Field-collected larvae were brought to the laboratory where they were kept in isolation for the purpose of rearing parasitoids. Triraphis discoideus (Cresson) was reared from the following host-host plant combinations: Acharia stimulea (Clemens), Adoneta spinuloides (Herrich-Schäffer), Lithacodes fasciola (Herrich-Schäffer), and Parasa chloris (Moore) on red oak; Euclea delphinii (Boisduval) on black gum and red oak; Isa textula (Herrich-Schäffer) on American beech, red oak, and white oak; Natada nasoni (Grote) on American beech, black gum, red oak, and white oak; Prolimacodes badia Hübner on black cherry and red oak; and an undetermined species of Tortricidia Packard on American beech. Host use for other species of Triraphis, particularly Triraphis harrisinae (Ashmead), is discussed.