Orientador: Cláudia Pio Ferreira / Abstract: This thesis presents two manuscripts previously sent to publication in scientific journals. In the first manuscript, a delay differential equation model is developed to study the dynamics of two Aedes aegypti mosquito populations: infected by the intracellular bacteria Wolbachia and non-infected (wild) individuals. All the steady states of the system are determined, namely extinction of both populations, extinction of the infected population and persistence of the non-infected one, and coexistence. Their local stability is analyzed, including Hopf bifurcation, which promotes periodic solutions around the nontrivial equilibrium points. Finally, one investigates the global asymptotic stability of the trivial solution. In the second manuscript, after rearing soybean looper Chrysodeixis includens in laboratory conditions, thermal requirements for this insect-pest are estimated, from linear and nonlinear regression models, as well as the intrinsic growth rate. This parameter depends on the life-history traits and can provide a measure of population viability of the species. / Doutor

Com o objetivo de avaliar o potencial de utilização de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) no manejo de Pseudoplusia includens (Walker, 1857) e Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), foram realizados diferentes bioensaios incluindo seleção de linhagens, avaliação das características biológicas, capacidade de parasitismo, exigências térmicas, determinação do número ideal de parasitóide a ser liberado por ovo da praga, capacidade de dispersão e tempo de permanência no campo do parasitóide e seletividade dos agroquímicos ao parasitóide. Através da seleção de espécies/linhagens de Trichogramma e Trichogrammatoidea verificou-se que T. pretiosum, linhagem coletada em Rio Verde, GO (RV) apresentou melhor desempenho biológico dentre as demais. A duração do período de desenvolvimento de T. pretiosum linhagem RV, criado em ovos de ambas as pragas apresentou relação inversa com o aumento de temperatura. A emergência da referida linhagem em ovos de A. gemmatalis não foi afetada na faixa de temperatura estudada, porém quando criada em ovos de P. includens, a temperatura de 32oC afetou tal parâmetro biológico. O limiar térmico inferior de desenvolvimento de T. pretiosum linhagem RV foi menor em ovos de P. includens (10,6ºC) quando comparado com o de A. gemmatalis (11,6ºC) e conseqüentemente, a constante térmica também variou sendo de 152 GD para P. includens e de 128 GD para A. gemmatalis. O número estimado de gerações de T. pretiosum linhagem RV, por ciclo da soja variou de 21 e 20 gerações para Rio Verde, GO e 22 e 21 gerações Barreiras, BA, em ovos de P. includens e A. gemmatalis, respectivamente. O ritmo de parasitismo de T. pretiosum linhagem RV foi influenciado pelas temperaturas testadas, com concentração do parasitismo nos primeiros dias de vida das fêmeas, exceto na temperatura de 18oC em ovos P. includens e nas temperaturas de 18 e 20oC para A. gemmatalis em que o parasitismo ocorreu durante toda a vida do parasitóide. O parasitismo total foi influenciado pelas temperaturas, com maiores valores entre as temperaturas de 22 a 28oC em ovos de P. includens e entre 25 e 28oC em ovos de A. gemmatalis. Em condições de semi-campo, determinou-se que o maior parasitismo foi obtido com uma proporção de 25,6 parasitóides por ovo da praga para as duas espécies de pragas. A capacidade de dispersão na cultura da soja é de 8,0 m, sendo a área de dispersão de 85,18m2. Assim, há a necessidade de 117 pontos de liberação do parasitóide por hectare para uma distribuição homogênea do parasitóides em toda a área. Após a liberação de T. pretiosum linhagem RV os parasitóides permaneceram na cultura da soja por doze dias, embora o parasitismo seja efetivo até o quarto dia. Os resultados básicos obtidos em ovos de P. includens e A. gemmatalis apontam para a possibilidade de controle conjunto destas duas pragas na cultura da soja, com utilização desse parasitóide de ovos. Os inseticidas, herbicidas e fungicidas utilizados na cultura da soja afetaram diferentemente o parasitismo e a viabilidade de T. pretiosum linhagem RV, sendo classificados desde seletivos até nocivos. / Different bioassays were carried out aiming to evaluate the potential of using Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) to manage Pseudoplusia includens (Walker, 1857) and Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Among those bioassays there were the strains selection, biological characteristics and parasitism capacity, thermal requirements, establishment of ideal number of parasitoids to be released per number of pest eggs, parasitoid dispersal capacity, amount of time that the parasitoids remain active in the field after releasing and pesticide selectivity to the parasitoid. Throughtout the species/strains selection of Trichogramma and Trichogrammatoidea it was possible to determine that Trichogramma pretiosum, strain collected in Rio Verde (RV), showed the best biological performance among the tested species/strains. Trichogramma pretiosum RV development time, when it was reared in eggs of both pest species, was inversely related to the increase in temperature. T. pretiosum RV reared in A. gemmatalis eggs had not its emergency (%) modified by temperature changes, however, when it was reared in P. includens eggs, it had a lower emergency (%) at 32oC. The lower temperature threshold (Tb) was lower for T. pretiosum RV in P. includens eggs (10.6oC) when compared to T. pretiosum in A. gemmatalis eggs (11.6oC) and consequently the thermal constant (K) was also different being 152 and 128 GD for P. includens and A. gemmatalis eggs, respectively. The estimated number of generations of T. pretiosum RV in eggs of both species varied along soybean crop season being 21 and 20 generations for Rio Verde, GO and 22 and 21 generations for Barreiras, BA in P. includens and A. gemmatalis eggs, respectively. The parasitism rhythm of T. pretiosum RV was changed by the tested temperatures, concentrating the parasitism during the first days except at 18oC in P. includens eggs and at 18 and 20oC in A. gemmatalis eggs when the parasitism occurred during the whole parasitoid lifespan. The total parasitism was influenced by the temperatures, being higher among 22 and 28oC in P. includens eggs and among 25 and 28oC in A. gemmatalis eggs. The higher parasitism rate is reached at 51.2 and 25.6 female parasitoid per P. includens and A. gemmatalis eggs, respectively, accordingly to what was established at greenhouse trials. T. pretiosum RV dispersing capacity in soybean fields is 8.0 m and its dispersal area is 85.18 m2. Therefore, it is required a minimum of 117 parasitoid releasing points per hectare in order to have a homogeneous parasitoid distribution in the field. After T. pretiosum RV release, parasitoids remained in the soybean crop for 12 days. However, the parasitism was effective up to 4 days. The results from this research for P. includens and A. gemmatalis eggs indicate that the control of both pests might be possible using the T. pretiosum RV. Insecticides, herbicides and fungicides commonly used in soybean fields impacted differently the parasitism of T. pretiosum RV, being classified since harmless (class 1) to harmful (class 4).

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:23:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 1949470 bytes, checksum: d0a8f226e9856394b56375b96c69ad29 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-07-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Historical data report that soybeans originated in eastern China, where it was domesticated by the eleventh century B.C. In Brazil, the first record of soybean introduction dates of 1882. The soybean is widely grown in many countries worldwide. The major producers are the United States, Brazil, Argentina and China. In Brazil, the main producing areas are in South, Southeast and Center- western of the country, in the states of Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso and Goiás. Soybean crop (Glycine max (L.) Merr) is subject to the attack of large numbers of insects and pathogens, from the germination to the harvest, and soybean looper and Asian soybean rust are the most important of them. They cause damage throughout the crop development, and the control is made basically by aerial and ground spraying. The demand for aerial spraying has increased in soybean crops due to the short period to realize the pesticides application. The climatic factors are the main problems faced by farmers, making harder to spray under appropriate conditions. The aerial spraying demands stationary structure, constituted of water reservoir, premix tank and the decontamination yard, and only the aircraft moves to the property, but tractor sprayers need a logistics to work out, with displacement of the water truck, chemicals and sprayers. Researchers are studying the behavior of spray liquid to observe the physical features in relation to droplets formation and liquid retention on the leaves. However, the silicone-based adjuvants, organic resins and vegetables oils are products that can promote these changes on the sprayed liquid, differentiating coverage, droplets density and deposition. Thus, two works were mounted, one in the Laboratory of Pesticides Application, and the other one in a farm of the Ampessam group in Formosa GO. The laboratory test showed differences between adjuvants and control. The surface tension was reduced with the addition of adjuvants and slightly reduced with changings in temperature. The adjuvant Aureo had lower values of viscosity than the adjuvants Silkon and Naft in the temperatures of 35 38 ° C and 43 46 ° C, for the concentrations of C2, C3 and C4. The droplet spectrum was changed for all tested conditions. In the field, the experiments showed significant differences between the adjuvants and the control in the Tukey test at 5 % of probability. The coverage (%), droplets density (droplets cm -2) and the deposition (μL cm-2) on the upper, middle and lower levels of the plant canopy increased by the use of the adjuvants. Later to the droplet spectrum study, droplet displacement was estimated by use of DRIFTSIM software, and the control provided the shortest displacement (m). The mortality efficacy of the soybean looper increased adding the adjuvant to the spray solution. / Dados históricos relatam que originalmente a soja desenvolveu-se na região leste da China, onde sofreu domesticação por volta do século XI a.C.. No Brasil, o primeiro registro da introdução da soja data de 1882. A soja é amplamente cultivada em vários países do mundo. Os principais produtores mundiais são os Estados Unidos, o Brasil, a Argentina e a China. No Brasil, as principais áreas produtoras estão nas regiões Sul, Sudeste e Centro-oeste do país, nos estados do Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso e de Goiás. A cultura da soja (Glycine max (L.) Merr) está sujeita ao ataque de grande número de insetos e patógenos, desde a germinação até a colheita. Dentre eles, se destacam a lagarta-falsa-medideira e a Ferrugem Asiática , que causam danos ao longo do desenvolvimento da cultura, cujo controle é feito, basicamente, por aplicações utilizando pulverizadores aéreos ou tratorizados. A demanda pela pulverização aérea vem crescendo nas lavouras de soja, em decorrência do curto período para realização das aplicações de agrotóxicos. Os fatores climáticos são os principais problemas enfrentados pelos agricultores, dificultando a aplicação em condições adequadas. A pulverização aérea, demanda de estrutura estacionária, fazendo com que o reservatório de água, o tanque de pré-mistura e o pátio de descontaminação fiquem juntos, deslocando apenas a aeronave na propriedade, já para os pulverizadores tratorizados existe uma logística para seu funcionamento, devido ao deslocamento do caminhão pipa, dos produtos químicos e dos pulverizadores. Pesquisadores estão estudando o comportamento do líquido de pulverização para observar as características físico-químico em relação a formação de gotas e a retenção do líquido nas folhas. Entretanto, os adjuvantes a base de siliconado, resinas orgânicas e óleos vegetais, são produtos que podem promover estas alterações no líquido pulverizado, diferenciando cobertura, densidade de gotas e deposição. Portanto, foram montados dois trabalhos, um no laboratório de aplicação de defensivos agrícolas e outro em campo, na fazenda do grupo Ampessan Formosa-GO. O ensaio em laboratório demonstrou diferenças entre os adjuvantes e o controle. A tensão superficial foi reduzida com adição dos adjuvantes e levemente reduzida com alteração da temperatura. Já para a viscosidade o Aureo apresentou viscosidade menor que o Naft e o Silkon nas temperaturas 35° - 38° C e 43° - 46° C, nas concentrações C2, C3, e C4. O espectro de gotas foi alterado para cada condição testada. No campo os testes demonstraram diferenças significativa entre os adjuvantes e o controle, no teste de Tukey a nível de 5% de probabilidade. A cobertura (%), a densidade de gotas (gotas cm-2), e a deposição (μL cm-2) nos níveis superior, médio e inferior aumentaram com o uso de adjuvantes. Posteriormente ao estudo do espectro de gotas, foi estimado a deriva das gotas usando software DRIFTSIM, sendo o controle, aquele que proporcionou o menor deslocamento (m). A eficácia de mortalidade da lagarta falsa medideira aumentou com o uso de adjuvante na calda.

Com o objetivo de avaliar o potencial de utilização de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) no manejo de Pseudoplusia includens (Walker, 1857) e Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), foram realizados diferentes bioensaios incluindo seleção de linhagens, avaliação das características biológicas, capacidade de parasitismo, exigências térmicas, determinação do número ideal de parasitóide a ser liberado por ovo da praga, capacidade de dispersão e tempo de permanência no campo do parasitóide e seletividade dos agroquímicos ao parasitóide. Através da seleção de espécies/linhagens de Trichogramma e Trichogrammatoidea verificou-se que T. pretiosum, linhagem coletada em Rio Verde, GO (RV) apresentou melhor desempenho biológico dentre as demais. A duração do período de desenvolvimento de T. pretiosum linhagem RV, criado em ovos de ambas as pragas apresentou relação inversa com o aumento de temperatura. A emergência da referida linhagem em ovos de A. gemmatalis não foi afetada na faixa de temperatura estudada, porém quando criada em ovos de P. includens, a temperatura de 32oC afetou tal parâmetro biológico. O limiar térmico inferior de desenvolvimento de T. pretiosum linhagem RV foi menor em ovos de P. includens (10,6ºC) quando comparado com o de A. gemmatalis (11,6ºC) e conseqüentemente, a constante térmica também variou sendo de 152 GD para P. includens e de 128 GD para A. gemmatalis. O número estimado de gerações de T. pretiosum linhagem RV, por ciclo da soja variou de 21 e 20 gerações para Rio Verde, GO e 22 e 21 gerações Barreiras, BA, em ovos de P. includens e A. gemmatalis, respectivamente. O ritmo de parasitismo de T. pretiosum linhagem RV foi influenciado pelas temperaturas testadas, com concentração do parasitismo nos primeiros dias de vida das fêmeas, exceto na temperatura de 18oC em ovos P. includens e nas temperaturas de 18 e 20oC para A. gemmatalis em que o parasitismo ocorreu durante toda a vida do parasitóide. O parasitismo total foi influenciado pelas temperaturas, com maiores valores entre as temperaturas de 22 a 28oC em ovos de P. includens e entre 25 e 28oC em ovos de A. gemmatalis. Em condições de semi-campo, determinou-se que o maior parasitismo foi obtido com uma proporção de 25,6 parasitóides por ovo da praga para as duas espécies de pragas. A capacidade de dispersão na cultura da soja é de 8,0 m, sendo a área de dispersão de 85,18m2. Assim, há a necessidade de 117 pontos de liberação do parasitóide por hectare para uma distribuição homogênea do parasitóides em toda a área. Após a liberação de T. pretiosum linhagem RV os parasitóides permaneceram na cultura da soja por doze dias, embora o parasitismo seja efetivo até o quarto dia. Os resultados básicos obtidos em ovos de P. includens e A. gemmatalis apontam para a possibilidade de controle conjunto destas duas pragas na cultura da soja, com utilização desse parasitóide de ovos. Os inseticidas, herbicidas e fungicidas utilizados na cultura da soja afetaram diferentemente o parasitismo e a viabilidade de T. pretiosum linhagem RV, sendo classificados desde seletivos até nocivos. / Different bioassays were carried out aiming to evaluate the potential of using Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) to manage Pseudoplusia includens (Walker, 1857) and Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, 1818 (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Among those bioassays there were the strains selection, biological characteristics and parasitism capacity, thermal requirements, establishment of ideal number of parasitoids to be released per number of pest eggs, parasitoid dispersal capacity, amount of time that the parasitoids remain active in the field after releasing and pesticide selectivity to the parasitoid. Throughtout the species/strains selection of Trichogramma and Trichogrammatoidea it was possible to determine that Trichogramma pretiosum, strain collected in Rio Verde (RV), showed the best biological performance among the tested species/strains. Trichogramma pretiosum RV development time, when it was reared in eggs of both pest species, was inversely related to the increase in temperature. T. pretiosum RV reared in A. gemmatalis eggs had not its emergency (%) modified by temperature changes, however, when it was reared in P. includens eggs, it had a lower emergency (%) at 32oC. The lower temperature threshold (Tb) was lower for T. pretiosum RV in P. includens eggs (10.6oC) when compared to T. pretiosum in A. gemmatalis eggs (11.6oC) and consequently the thermal constant (K) was also different being 152 and 128 GD for P. includens and A. gemmatalis eggs, respectively. The estimated number of generations of T. pretiosum RV in eggs of both species varied along soybean crop season being 21 and 20 generations for Rio Verde, GO and 22 and 21 generations for Barreiras, BA in P. includens and A. gemmatalis eggs, respectively. The parasitism rhythm of T. pretiosum RV was changed by the tested temperatures, concentrating the parasitism during the first days except at 18oC in P. includens eggs and at 18 and 20oC in A. gemmatalis eggs when the parasitism occurred during the whole parasitoid lifespan. The total parasitism was influenced by the temperatures, being higher among 22 and 28oC in P. includens eggs and among 25 and 28oC in A. gemmatalis eggs. The higher parasitism rate is reached at 51.2 and 25.6 female parasitoid per P. includens and A. gemmatalis eggs, respectively, accordingly to what was established at greenhouse trials. T. pretiosum RV dispersing capacity in soybean fields is 8.0 m and its dispersal area is 85.18 m2. Therefore, it is required a minimum of 117 parasitoid releasing points per hectare in order to have a homogeneous parasitoid distribution in the field. After T. pretiosum RV release, parasitoids remained in the soybean crop for 12 days. However, the parasitism was effective up to 4 days. The results from this research for P. includens and A. gemmatalis eggs indicate that the control of both pests might be possible using the T. pretiosum RV. Insecticides, herbicides and fungicides commonly used in soybean fields impacted differently the parasitism of T. pretiosum RV, being classified since harmless (class 1) to harmful (class 4).

No description available.

The seasonal abundance of the imported cabbageworm, <i>Artogeia rapae</i> (L.)), cabbage looper <i>Trichoplusia ni</i> (Hubner)) and diamondback moth (<i>Plutella xylostella</i> (L.)) was determined in 1982 to 1984 on cabbage in southwest Virginia. The imported cabbageworm was the most important pest. It had one and a partial second generation in 1982 and 1983, and two and a partial third generation in 1984. Market Prize and Green Winter varieties had lower <i>A. rapae</i> infestations than Abbott & Cobb #5 or Rio Verde. Two generations of the diamondback moth, which preferentially fed on cabbage leaves versus heads, were seen in 1983 and 1984. <i>Diadegma insularis</i> (Meus.) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) parasitized 46% and 69% of the diamondback moth in 1983 and 1984, respectively. Higher parasitization of <i>P. xylostella</i> was found in pupae collected from Abbott & Cobb #5. Two generations of the cabbage looper were seen in 1983 and a single generation in 1984. <i>Pteromalus puparum</i> (L.) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) parasitized 64.1% and 32.5% of imported cabbageworm pupae in 1983 and 1984; parasitism was most pronounced in the latter part of the season. High percentages of parasites successfully emerged as adults, indicating efficient host utilization. Most parasite mortality within the host occurred in the larval stage; mean adult parasite emergence per host for 1983 and 1984 was 52.3 with a 1:1 sex ratio. <i>P. puparum</i> parasitized either host sex, producing equal proportions of male and female parasites. Adult female <i>P. puparum</i> were not adversely affected by residues of methomyl (Lannate®), permethrin (Pounce®) and fenvalarate (Pydrin®), but males showed significantly higher mortality than controls following exposure to methomyl after 12 h, and methomyl and permethrin after six days. <P. puparum</i> adults were successfully refrigerated for up to 15 days at 3°C in individual gelatin capsules. Survival beyond 15 days was better at l5°C and 23°C. <i>A. rapae</i> larvae could be reared at densities of 30 to 60 larvae per 70±10 g on a high wheat germ artificial diet. Pupae from the lowest density were larger in length and weight than those reared at the two higher densities, and all laboratory-reared pupae were smaller than either normal or parasitized field pupae. / Ph. D.

Cette étude porte sur l’écologie saisonnière des parasitoïdes des œufs de l’arpenteuse de la pruche (Lepidoptera : Geometridae), un important défoliateur du Québec (Canada). Premièrement, nous décrivons les patrons saisonniers de parasitisme d’hôtes sentinelles par Telenomus coloradensis, T. droozi, T. flavotibiae (Hymenoptera : Scelionidae), et Trichogramma spp., dans la région du Bas-Saint-Laurent. Telenomus flavotibiae et Trichogramma spp. parasitent rarement les œufs de l’arpenteuse de la pruche alors que T. coloradensis et T. droozi sont très abondants au printemps. En laboratoire, la convenance des hôtes pour T. coloradensis diminue rapidement avec leur développement embryonnaire au printemps, affectant négativement les niveaux de parasitisme, ainsi que la survie, la taille, le temps de développement et la longévité de la progéniture. Telenomus coloradensis et T. droozi sont actifs très tôt en saison, alors que les températures sont froides (4°C) pour profiter du développement embryonnaire peu avancé de l’hôte. À partir de paramètres empiriques, nous estimons que la progéniture de T. coloradensis issue du parasitisme printanier émerge au milieu de l’été, alors que l’hôte est totalement absent de l’environnement forestier. La nouvelle génération de femelles serait donc susceptible d’entrer précocement en diapause reproductive. D’ailleurs, nos résultats de laboratoire démontrent qu’une période de privation d’hôtes affecte négativement l’activité parasitaire de T. coloradensis. Ce phénomène pourrait expliquer les niveaux très faibles de parasitisme des œufs de l’arpenteuse de la pruche à l’automne. Étonnamment toutefois, les hôtes en début de diapause (à l’automne) sont de meilleure qualité énergétique que les hôtes en post-diapause (au printemps). Alors que des études précédentes ont démontré que T. coloradensis peut survivre à l’hiver en tant qu’immature à l’intérieur des hôtes, nos résultats indiquent que ce sont principalement les femelles fertilisés qui passent l’hiver en diapause reproductive, avec un point de surfusion automnal moyen de -30,6°C. / This study focuses on the seasonal ecology of egg parasitoids of the hemlock looper (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), a major forest defoliator in the province of Quebec (Canada). At first, we describe the seasonal occurrence of parasitism in sentinel hosts by Telenomus coloradensis, T. droozi, T. flavotibiae (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and Trichogramma spp., in the Lower St.Lawrence region. Telenomus flavotibiae and Trichogramma spp. rarely parasitize eggs of the hemlock looper, while T. coloradensis and T. droozi are very abundant in spring. In the laboratory, the host suitability for T. coloradensis decreases rapidly with their embryonic development in spring, affecting negatively the levels of parasitism, as well as the survival, size, development time and longevity of offspring. Accordingly, female T. coloradensis and T. droozi are active very early in season, when temperature is cold (4° C), presumably to benefit from low embryonic development of the host. From developmental parameters measured in the laboratory, we estimate that the spring progeny of T. coloradensis emerges in mid-summer, when eggs of the hemlock looper are totally absent from the forest environment. The new generation of female parasitoids is thus expected to enter in a early reproductive diapause : our laboratory results show that an extended host deprivation period negatively affects parasitism by T. coloradensis. This may contribute to explain the very low levels of parasitism of hemlock looper eggs in fall. Our laboratory tests also show that unfertilized eggs in the fall do not allow the development of T. coloradensis. Surprisingly, however, host eggs in early-diapause (in autumn) are energically more suitable than hosts in post-diapause (in spring). While previous studies have shown that T. coloradensis may overwinter as immature eggs inside the host, our field and laboratory results indicate that it is mainly the fertilized females of this species that overwinter in reproductive diapause, with a supercooling point of -30.6 °C in fall.

Cette étude porte sur l’écologie saisonnière des parasitoïdes des œufs de l’arpenteuse de la pruche (Lepidoptera : Geometridae), un important défoliateur du Québec (Canada). Premièrement, nous décrivons les patrons saisonniers de parasitisme d’hôtes sentinelles par Telenomus coloradensis, T. droozi, T. flavotibiae (Hymenoptera : Scelionidae), et Trichogramma spp., dans la région du Bas-Saint-Laurent. Telenomus flavotibiae et Trichogramma spp. parasitent rarement les œufs de l’arpenteuse de la pruche alors que T. coloradensis et T. droozi sont très abondants au printemps. En laboratoire, la convenance des hôtes pour T. coloradensis diminue rapidement avec leur développement embryonnaire au printemps, affectant négativement les niveaux de parasitisme, ainsi que la survie, la taille, le temps de développement et la longévité de la progéniture. Telenomus coloradensis et T. droozi sont actifs très tôt en saison, alors que les températures sont froides (4°C) pour profiter du développement embryonnaire peu avancé de l’hôte. À partir de paramètres empiriques, nous estimons que la progéniture de T. coloradensis issue du parasitisme printanier émerge au milieu de l’été, alors que l’hôte est totalement absent de l’environnement forestier. La nouvelle génération de femelles serait donc susceptible d’entrer précocement en diapause reproductive. D’ailleurs, nos résultats de laboratoire démontrent qu’une période de privation d’hôtes affecte négativement l’activité parasitaire de T. coloradensis. Ce phénomène pourrait expliquer les niveaux très faibles de parasitisme des œufs de l’arpenteuse de la pruche à l’automne. Étonnamment toutefois, les hôtes en début de diapause (à l’automne) sont de meilleure qualité énergétique que les hôtes en post-diapause (au printemps). Alors que des études précédentes ont démontré que T. coloradensis peut survivre à l’hiver en tant qu’immature à l’intérieur des hôtes, nos résultats indiquent que ce sont principalement les femelles fertilisés qui passent l’hiver en diapause reproductive, avec un point de surfusion automnal moyen de -30,6°C. / This study focuses on the seasonal ecology of egg parasitoids of the hemlock looper (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), a major forest defoliator in the province of Quebec (Canada). At first, we describe the seasonal occurrence of parasitism in sentinel hosts by Telenomus coloradensis, T. droozi, T. flavotibiae (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and Trichogramma spp., in the Lower St.Lawrence region. Telenomus flavotibiae and Trichogramma spp. rarely parasitize eggs of the hemlock looper, while T. coloradensis and T. droozi are very abundant in spring. In the laboratory, the host suitability for T. coloradensis decreases rapidly with their embryonic development in spring, affecting negatively the levels of parasitism, as well as the survival, size, development time and longevity of offspring. Accordingly, female T. coloradensis and T. droozi are active very early in season, when temperature is cold (4° C), presumably to benefit from low embryonic development of the host. From developmental parameters measured in the laboratory, we estimate that the spring progeny of T. coloradensis emerges in mid-summer, when eggs of the hemlock looper are totally absent from the forest environment. The new generation of female parasitoids is thus expected to enter in a early reproductive diapause : our laboratory results show that an extended host deprivation period negatively affects parasitism by T. coloradensis. This may contribute to explain the very low levels of parasitism of hemlock looper eggs in fall. Our laboratory tests also show that unfertilized eggs in the fall do not allow the development of T. coloradensis. Surprisingly, however, host eggs in early-diapause (in autumn) are energically more suitable than hosts in post-diapause (in spring). While previous studies have shown that T. coloradensis may overwinter as immature eggs inside the host, our field and laboratory results indicate that it is mainly the fertilized females of this species that overwinter in reproductive diapause, with a supercooling point of -30.6 °C in fall.

No description available.