Field exploration in Argentina for cactophagous lepidopteran hosts parasitized by the recently described braconid parasitoid Apanteles opuntiarum Martínez & Berta (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) revealed a host range restricted to Cactoblastis cactorum (Berg) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and C. doddi. Field collections of cactophagous larvae parasitized by the congeneric and sympatric parasitoid A. alexanderi included the host species C. bucyrus, Sigelgaita nr. chilensis, Tucumania sp., Tucumania tapiacola and Salambona sp. If a narrow host range for A. opuntiarum is confirmed in quarantine with North American cactus-feeding species, then this parasitoid could be released as a biological control agent for C. cactorum with little or no risk to non-target species.
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1 June 2015
Field Host Range of Apanteles opuntiarum (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Argentina, a Potential Biocontrol Agent of Cactoblastis cactorum (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in North America
Laura Varone,
Guillermo Logarzo,
Juan José Martínez,
Fernando Navarro,
James E. Carpenter,
Stephen D. Hight
Florida Entomologist
Vol. 98 • No. 2
June 2015
Vol. 98 • No. 2
June 2015
Apanteles alexanderi
Apanteles opuntiarum
biological control
cactus moth
Control biológico
espectro de hospedadores
host range