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Title: NOTES ON INCIDENCE AND BIOLOGY OF THE PREDOMINANT PARASITOIDS ATTACKING THE COTTONWOOD LEAF BEETLE IN MINNESOTA.

Author
item KENDRICK, ALEXANDER - UNIV.WISCONSIN DEPT.ENTOM
item RAFFA, KENNETH - UNIV.WISCONSIN DEPT ENTOM
item Woodley, Norman
item KRAUTH, STEVEN - UNIV.WISCONSIN DEPT ENT

Submitted to: Great Lakes Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/26/2006
Publication Date: 12/1/2006
Citation: Kendrick, A.P., Raffa, K.F., Woodley, N.E. 2006. Notes on incidence and biology of the parasitoid complex of cottonwood leaf beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Minnesota. Great Lakes Entomologist. 38:203-208.

Interpretive Summary: Leaf beetles contain significant plant pests because they feed extensively on foliage, often damaging plant crops and causing millions of dollars in damage and/or control costs annually. This work presents details of the biologies of parasitoids found in the cottonwood leaf beetle, which include parasitic wasps and flies. This information is of interest to scientists interested in parasitoid biology as well as biocontrol workers.

Technical Abstract: Populations of the cottonwood leaf beetle, Chrysomela scripta (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), in Minnesota were examined for the presence of parasitoids over a period of two years. Field samples of larvae and pre-pupae yielded two parasitoids: a tachinid fly (Cleonice setosa) and a pteromalid wasp (Schizonotus sieboldi). Incidence of parasitism by the tachinid was substantially higher than in previous reports, accounting for 32.9% of third instar larvae and 66.9% of pre-pupae. The pteromalid was present in 5.7% of pre-pupae. Both parasitoids were reared to adulthood in the laboratory, with the pteromalid exhibiting continued generations, but the tachinid completing development only after an overwintering treatment.