How to translate text using browser tools
1 February 2011 Life-History Traits and Parasitism Rates of Four Phorid Species (Diptera: Phoridae), Parasitoids of Atta vollenweideri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Argentina
Andrea C. Guillade, Patricia J. Folgarait
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Leaf-cutting ants in the genus Atta F. (Formicidae, Attini) are among the most important pest arthropods in Central and South America, consuming more vegetation than any other animal group. Among the organisms attacking ants in nature, flies of the family Phoridae have been proposed as the most promising biocontrol agents for pest ants. Four phorid species, Apocephalus setitarsus Brown, Myrmosicarius brandaoi Disney, Myrmosicarius gonzalezae Disney, and Eibesfeldtphora trilobata Disney, were reared from ants collected at Atta vollenweideri Forel nests and off foraging trails in Santa Fe province in Argentina. E. trilobata attacked larger ants and had bigger adults than the other species, also exhibiting the longest developmental time. Correlations between size of hosts and size of adults, as well as between size of adults and developmental times, could be established only in some cases. No differences were found between the sizes of the hosts from which males and females emerged. The natural percentage of parasitism varied throughout the seasons and seemed to be influenced by the extreme drought affecting the study site. We discuss why all four species would be suitable candidates for integrating an assemblage of biocontrol agents against A. vollenweideri.

© 2011 Entomological Society of America
Andrea C. Guillade and Patricia J. Folgarait "Life-History Traits and Parasitism Rates of Four Phorid Species (Diptera: Phoridae), Parasitoids of Atta vollenweideri (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Argentina," Journal of Economic Entomology 104(1), 32-40, (1 February 2011). https://doi.org/10.1603/EC10173
Received: 11 May 2010; Accepted: 1 August 2010; Published: 1 February 2011
JOURNAL ARTICLE
9 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
biological control
leafcutter ants
life cycle
native phorid species
parasitism rate
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top