Studies on the Parasitoids of Tea Mosquito Bug, Helopeltis antonii Sign. (Heteroptera : Miridae) on cashew with special Reference to Telenomus sp. (Hymenoptera : Scelionidae)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18311/jbc/1993/15145Keywords:
Heleopeltis antonii, Cashew, Parasitoids, Telenomus sp., Cbaetostricha sp., Erythmelus helopeltidis Bochartia sp.Abstract
Surveys were undertaken to record the natural enemies of the tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis antonii Sign. the key pest of cashew in South India. Three species of Hymenopteran endoparasitoids, viz., Telenomus sp. larieis group (Hym : Scelionldae), Chaetostricha sp. (Trichogrammatidae) and Erythmelus helopeltidis Gahan (Fam : Mymaridae) were recorded on the eggs. Bochartia sp. (Acarina : Erythraeidae) was recorded as an ectoparasite on nymphs and adults. Seasonal occurrence of Telenomus sp. and Chaetostricha sp. was studied at two locations for two years (June 1990 to May 1992). Telenomus sp. was observed almost throughout the year with a range of 1.8 to 45.5 per cent parasitism, whereas Chaetostricha sp. was noted mostly during cropping season (November-May) with relatively low level of parasitization of 0.7 to 4.3 percent. None of the weather factors (temperature, relative humidity and total rainfall) showed any significant influence on the parasitic activity of Telenomus sp.