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Title: NATURAL HISTORY OF THE FALL ARMYWORM AND ITS ECTOPARASITIC NEMATODE, NOCTUIDONEMA GUYANENSE, IN SOUTH GEORGIA

Author
item Rogers, Charlie
item Marti, Orville
item CHANDLER, LAURENCE - USDA-ARS
item Simmons, Alvin

Submitted to: Journal of Entomological Sciences
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), is an immigrant pest of several crops in south Georgia. Moths of the fall armyworm commonly are infested by a parasitic nematode (Noctuidonema guyanense). We studied the seasonality and natural association of the fall armyworm and its parasitic nematode in Tift County from 1991-1993. Seasonal influxes of non-infested moths usually arrive in south Georgia in late April and dissipate in early November. Seasonal influxes of infested male moths follow the initial immigrants by four to six weeks and disappear in the Fall from one to two months earlier than the general moth population. Wild male moths that are moderately worn and infested by the nematode weigh less than moderately worn, non-infested males. Nematodes of the genus Noctuidonema infest several species of moths, but they have not been found on the cotton bollworm/corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), or beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua).

Technical Abstract: The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), is a perennial immigrant pest of several crops in south Georgia. Moths of S. frugiperda commonly are infested by an ectoparasitic nematode, Noctuidonema guyanense Remillet and Silvain. We studied the seasonal chronology and natural association of these species in Tift County from 1991-1993. Seasonal influxes of non-infested moths usually arrive in late April and dissipate in early November. Seasonal influxes of infested male moths follow the initial immigrants by four to six weeks and disappear in the Fall from one to two months earlier than the general moth populations. Feral male moths that are moderately worn and infested by N. guyanense weigh less than moderately worn, non-infested males. Noctuidonema guyanense infests moths of several species of noctuids, but it has not been found on the cotton bollworm/corn earworm [Helicoverpa zea (Boddie)], tobacco budworm [Heliothis virescens (Fabricius)], or beet armyworm [S. exigua (Hubner)].