Insect Environment, Vol.14 (4), January-March 2009 163 164 Insect Environment, Vol.14 (4), January-March 2009

Dropping down and running to hide under weed cover was the immediate ) ) 4 2

9 response of feeding nymphs to even slight disturbance in the crop canopy. 0 9 0 ) 1

2 , 8 )

. a l 9

9 The closely related species, R? linearis chose to feed from lower most t ) t a 9 8

9 u t 1 9

pods where aggregated feeding by R. pedestris was less. A. graminea, 8 e . D 1

l

9 , a d a 1

a

C. bipunctatus, C. gibbosa and Homoeocerus sp. were restricted to shady n n t . n l a e e

a a J

h ( o positions on pods growing amidst dense leaf canopy. This characteristic ) ) ) ) t

R a

o 8 8 8 8 e s u

d 7 7 7 7 S r u common ecological need of these bugs may be a probable factor h n 9 9 9 9 a n h g t a 1 1 1 1 o B

n n s ( , , , ,

i attributing to their rarity. e

t d r r r r a r i i i i a r S K m o a a a a ( ( a

a p m r N N N N n n e ( ( ( ( h m The authors express their gratitude to Dr. C.A. Viraktamath, Ms. S. Salini

r a a G

a

A s s s s r

e e ( n

a e e e e e n b b (UAS, Bangalore) and Dr. D.D. Prathapan (College of Agriculture, KAU, i i l e l e s s s s y y l l l l r a e a c r r i o u u u o u a r Vellayani) for the identification of the insect specimens. P R S P P S G G P E e K

, i n C

s e a p Occurrence of Hymenopterous Parasitoids, Aenasius B , g o

d y B B B B B B B r , B a t o

a bambawalei Hayat and Promuscidea unfaciativentris Girault on s A C s , l p l d A

e Cotton Mealy Bugs, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley in o e l V s p

b

d n r a i o t d

e p n e a d

a

l R.C. Jhala, R.F. Solanki, T.M. Bharpoda and M.G. Patel g e +

y n + + r n + e p - - - - e + + + + e

+ Department of Entomology, B. A College of Agriculture, T V D + + d w + r o a Anand Agricultural University, Anand – 388 110, Gujarat, c G

- - - e m l e The Department of Entomology, BACA, AAU, Anand is monitoring the t b s a y d t occurrence of insect pests and their natural enemies on different crops s n e o A B C a l c g including cotton in middle Gujarat since 20 years. The mealy bug, t E e e

v

+ w

Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) has been

+ +

+ + + + d g + + + + +

+ + + + e

+ +

n observed damaging cotton very seriously from 2004-05 in Gujarat (Jhala

+ i ) m

t i

s a

s t et al., 2008). During a survey on the natural enemies of this pest in middle l

c e n

f

e a

Gujarat, two hymenopterous parasitoids viz., Aenasius bambawalei Hayat l n R

i

p

(Family Encyrtidae) and Promuscidea unfaciativentris Girault (Family

s

0 )

g t 0 Aphelinidae) were observed parasitizing P. solenopsis. These parasitoids u n e 1 e e e ) a

a b t a a a l /

d

i were identified by Insect Identification Network Project on Insect Bio d d d

n i i i p d d i s

a e e e e e m m m p l o Systematics, Division of Entomology, IARI, New Delhi. These parasitoids a a a g 5 a a o o o s y t t t p

d d d l P d d i a i i u i

/ i i

a a a t t t t / . e e e

s d d b were not observed on P. solenopsis before 2008. We observed these two r r r m n n n s

1 y y a s o o o l l l e e e a

g 2 g C P P C P C P F A A

e parasitoids on P. solenopsis for the first time during August – September, - u l u 1 b b b (

2008 in district and later on in other districts of Gujarat. The

a t 2 2 T - n - data on survey carried out in different cotton field located in five different 1 e 1 ( ) ( .

u

t

F villages (Sarsavani, Kurai, Dhavat, Jithardi and Kurali) of ( q n

. n ) a . e s l o w a t F r during October-November, 2008 indicated that the percent parasitisation t u o ( f t

d s n n ) )

m . i a a . . e i n e F p e s by both these parasitoides on P. solenopsis varied from 19 to 67 (Average e F

F c r m ( ( u s S W s n

a s

i i ) a o b b s r s a e . s a i i f 37 percent). The preliminary study indicated that A. bambawalei is a . m r a r s L u A R t L C A o r p t ( a a r o

s r b s a i

e b b a t

e dominant parasitoid on P. solenopsis in cotton. Both these parasitoids g r l s

n u b c d c i i u r l

u

n

e m r g d a

i

s are solitary endoparasitoids and turn the mealy bugs into barrel-shaped u ? p - - - - - u e r

a i u p l c m n i r l s s v r

o o g b a o u

u mummy with dark brown in colour.

e r t a t e s u t d r r r s g o o s b i o t o a o u t t o t v z + p z m d r p e p a e According to Universal Chalcidoidea Database (2008), Ajantha l o e i i l o o c i + + P A C C C H N P R R + + + malabarensis Narendran, 2000; Eriaporus aphilinoides (Compere, 1947); - + + + + Insect Environment, Vol.14 (4), January-March 2009 165 166 Insect Environment, Vol.14 (4), January-March 2009

Eurymyicnema aphelinoides Compere, 1947; Mesopirene fasiativentris and 0.25 percent were tested against eggs of H. theivora. Thirty gravid Girault; Mesopirene fasiativentris Girault, 1919; Promuscidea aphelinoides females of H. theivora were introduced on TV-1 freshly collected shoots (Compere, 1947); Promuscidea longiclavata Shafee, 1974; and for egg laying and kept for 12 hours inside the chimney. The next day the Promuscidea unifesciativentris Girault are synonyms of Promuscidea egg laden shoots were subjected to pretreatment count. After counting, unfasciativentris Girault. This parasitoid is reported occurring in the eggs were exposed to insecticide treatments using glass atomizer. Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Indonesia, and India. It is reported occurring Tap water was sprayed on eggs in control. Observations on percent in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, hatching and percent mortality of neonate nymphs were recorded Tamilnadu and Uttar Pradesh state of India. This is probably the first report collectively up to 28 days. Eggs that did not hatch after this period were of its occurrence in Gujarat. A. bambawalei is a new species of Aenasius regarded as non-viable. The egg mortality was calculated using Abbott’s genus and is reported for the first time parasitizing P. solenopsis infesting (1925) formula. Percent egg mortality was subjected to arc sine Parthenium hysteropus, Xanthium strumarium and Achyranthes asper transformation for statistical analysis. plants in Delhi as reported by Tanwar et al., 2008. We have also reported Results showed that azadirachtin, chloropyriphos, acephate and this Parsitoid on P. solenopsis in cotton. endosulfan were not effective at 0.05% on eggs of H. theivora. Monocrotophos, quinalphos, profenofos, dimethoate, alphamethrin, The authors are grateful to Dr. V.V. Ramamurthy, Principal Scientist & national Coordinator, and Sushila Joshi, In-charge, Insect Identification cypermethrin, fenpropathrin, -cyfluthrin, etofenprox, -cyhalothrin, Network Project on Insect Bio Systematics, Division of Entomology, IARI, imidachloprid and thiomethoxam at 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.25% New Delhi. concentrations were found causing significant egg mortality of 20-97% in laboratory. No ovicidal action was observed for azadirachtin in different References: concentrations. Therefore, the baseline data may be used as one of the Jhala, R.C. Bharpoda T.M. and Patel M.G., 2008. (Hemiptera : Pseudococcidae) tools in IRM (insecticide resistance management) strategies. Insect Environment, 13 (4) : 149 – 151. References Tanwar, R. K. Bhamare, V.K. Ramamurthy, V.V., Mohammad Hayat, Jeyakumar, P., Amar Singh, Jaftri, A. and Bambawale, O.M., 2008. NCIPM Newsletter, 14 Abbott, W.S. 1925. J. Econ. Entomol, 18: 265-267. (1): 2. Bora, S. and Gurusubramanian, G. 2007. Resistance Pest Management Universal Chalcidoidea Database, 2008. www.nhm.ac.uk/jdsml/research Newsletter, 17 (1): 8-12. curation/projects/chalcidoids. Table 1 : Ovicidal action of certain insecticides on tea mosquito bug on tea Ovicidal Toxicity of Insecticides on the Eggs of Tea Mosquito Bug (Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse) in Laboratory Insecticides Mean of mortality of eggs and corrected % mortality at different concentrations Mr. Somnath Roy, Ananda Mukhopadhay and G. Gurusubramanian 0.05% 0.1% 0.25% Entomology Reserach Unit, Dept. of Zoology, University of North Bengal, Dragling, West Bengal, India MPM CPM MPM CPM MPM CPM Endosulfan 14.33 1.15 15.67 2.70 15.66 2.69 The tea mosquito bug, Helopeltis theivora (Waterhouse) (Hemiptera: (4.29) (4.46) (4.45) Miridae), is an important pest of tea (Camellia sinensis) causing substantial (10-50%) losses. In North east India, of 4.36 lakh ha of tea Chloropyriphos 13.33 0.00 35.33 25.38 57.66 51.15 80% of tea plantations are affected by H. theivora infestation (Bora and (4.15) (6.44) (8.09) Gurusubramanian, 2007). It is important that the pest is managed of at Monocrotophos 52.33 45.00 65.67 60.39 77.66 74.22 initial stage. Workers have reported that egg stage is the most vulnerable (7.73) (8.60) (9.31) to the insecticides. Therefore, a study was initiated to find out toxic effect of selected chemical and botanical insecticides on H. theivora. Quinalphos 43.33 34.61 51.33 43.84 59.66 53.46 (7.08) (7.66) (8.22) The ovicidal toxicity of insecticides on the eggs of H. theivora were evaluated under laboratory conditions at Entomological Research Unit, Oxydemeton 15.33 2.31 26.00 14.62 36.66 26.92 methyl (4.42) (5.60) (6.55) North Bengal University, Darjeeling, during September and October, 2007. Profenofos 54.33 47.31 62.00 56.16 69.00 64.23 For the assessment of ovicidal properties of seventeen commercial grade (7.87) (8.37) (8.80) synthetic and one botanical insecticide three concentrations viz., 0.05, 0.1