Belvosia sp. (Diptera: Tachinidae) Parasitizing Halysidota sp. (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) Caterpillars on Ficus benjamina (Moraceae) in Brazil Author(s): Wagner De Souza Tavares, Enio Nunez, José Eduardo Serrão, Marcus Alvarenga Soares, Carlos Frederico Wilcken and José Cola Zanuncio Source: Florida Entomologist, 97(1):272-276. Published By: Florida Entomological Society https://doi.org/10.1653/024.097.0138 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1653/024.097.0138 BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/ terms_of_use. 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(LEPIDOPTERA: ARCTIIDAE) CATERPILLARS ON FICUS BENJAMINA (MORACEAE) IN BRAZIL 1 2 3 4 WAGNER DE SOUZA TAVARES , ENIO NUNEZ , JOSÉ EDUARDO SERRÃO , MARCUS ALVARENGA SOARES , CARLOS 5 6, FREDERICO WILCKEN AND JOSÉ COLA ZANUNCIO * 1Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil 2Centro Universitário Geraldo Di Biasi, Campus Barra do Piraí—Rodovia Benjamin Ielop, Km 11, 27101-090 Barra do Piraí, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil 3Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil 4Departamento de Agronomia, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, 39100-900, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil 5Departamento de Produção Vegetal, Universidade Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”, 18603-970, Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil 6Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil *Corresponding author; E-mail: [email protected] Ficus benjamina L. (Moraceae), an ornamen- southeast Virginia, USA (Coffelt & Schultz 1993) tal plant from south and southeast Asia and Aus- and Belvosia bicincta Robineau-Desvoidy (Dip- tralia and specifically Malaysia, was introduced tera: Tachinidae) emerged from 26% of the Hyles in Brazil because of traits not observed in other lineata F. (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) pupae in species of this group, including branches almost eastern New Mexico, USA (Jorgensen 1988). at ground level and glossy oval leaves with the The aim of this study was to assess the emer- acuminate tips (Fang et al. 2007; Lazzarotto et gence of Belvosia sp. from Halysidota sp. pupae ob- al. 2011). This plant can exceed 20 m in height in tained from caterpillars aggregated on F. benjam- tropical regions, and be imposing in urban sites, ina trunk bases in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. such as parks and gardens (Miao et al. 2011). Hundreds of Halysidota sp. caterpillars on F. Halysidota Hübner (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) benjamina were allowed to feed during the night species include caterpillars that defoliate Mora- on leaves of this plant until the last instar. Four ceae and Myrtaceae plants, e.g., Halysidota ori- separate groups of last-instar Halysidota sp. cat- entalis Rothschild, which defoliated Morus alba erpillars (158, 144, 137 and 129 individuals) were L. (Moraceae) in São Paulo (Sánchez-Soto et al. collected daily over 4 days at 10:00 A.M. (Fig. 1). 2004). In addition H. pearsoni Watson defoliated Caterpillars were collected from the base of 4 ma- Eucalyptus spp. (Myrtaceae) in Minas Gerais, ture F. benjamina trees, which were 10 m tall and Brazil and its pupae were parasitized by the gre- spaced 3 m apart in the “Recanto da Cigarra” lo- garious generalist endoparasitoid, Palmistichus cality (S 20° 45' W 42° 51', 651 m asl) on the cam- elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulo- pus of the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) in phidae), in the laboratory (Pereira et al. 2008). Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. These groups were This natural enemy is a promising biological con- chosen because they were observed to be the most trol agent for defoliators in agroforestry systems numerous during sampling. (Tavares et al. 2011a, 2012a, 2013a, 2013b). Each group of Halysidota sp. caterpillars was Belvosia Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Tachini- placed in a 5 L-plastic container in the Labora- dae) species parasitize caterpillars and pupae of tory of Biological Control of Insects (LCBI) of the moths of the families Hesperiidae, Noctuidae, Sa- UFV in a room at 25 ± 1 °C, 12:12 h L:D and 70 turniidae and Sphingidae (Arnaud 1978). Belvosia ± 10% R.H. Each group was separated in rearing spp. (Diptera: Tachinidae) emerged from 70.7 to cages (32 cm long × 30 cm wide × 30 cm high) 96.2% of Hylesia metabus Cramer (Lepidoptera: with F. benjamina branches for ad libitum feed- Saturniidae) pupae during 6 generations in north- ing and the branches were changed daily. Each eastern Venezuela (Hernandez et al. 2009). Bel- cage had sterilized fine sand at the bottom with vosia bifasciata F. (Diptera: Tachinidae) emerged leaves and thin branches under the sand to fa- from 0.7% of Anisota senatoria J. E. Smith (Lepi- vor cocoon formation and pupation. The bases doptera: Saturniidae) pupae in 2 generations in of the branches were moistened with water in Scientific Notes 273 Fig. 1. Last-instar Halysidota sp. (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) caterpillars on Ficus benjamina L. (Moraceae) trunk in Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. dental type anesthetic tubes to reduce leaf wilt- pillars on F. benjamina trunks displayed a gre- ing. Each Halysidota sp. pupa was placed in a garious habit during the day. Each group of pupae 50 mL-plastic cup sealed with polyvinyl chloride had an average of 118 individuals (Table 1). Only (PVC) film and held for lepidopteran or parasitoid one Halysidota sp. adult emerged in the labora- emergence. The numbers of pupae formed from tory from 472 pupae of this insect (Table 1). One last-instar Halysidota sp. caterpillars collected Belvosia sp. parasitoid individual emerged per on F. benjamina plants and the emergence of this Halysidota sp. pupa, and the average emergence lepidopteran and its dipteran parasitoid (Belvosia rate was 62.5 individuals per 118 Halysidota sp. sp.) were carefully recorded. pupae (Table 1). This is the first report ofHalysidota sp. devel- This is the first report ofHalysidota sp. de- oping on F. benjamina as the host plant. Para- foliating F. benjamina in Brazil and the second sitoids were identified by E.N. as an undescribed record of a lepidopteran pest on this plant. Am- species of Belvosia. The lepidopteran defoliator of malo helops Cramer (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) cat- F. benjamina was identified by Dr. Olaf Hermann erpillars were reported defoliating this plant in El Hendrik Mielke of the Department of Zoology of Salvador (Horgan 2005). Natural enemies identi- the Federal University of Paraná in Curitiba, fied on this plant include the predatorMontan - Paraná, Brazil as an undescribed Halysidota doniola confusa Streito & Matocq (Hemiptera: species. Some of these individuals (flies and lepi- Anthocoridae), which reduced the galls caused by dopteran adults) were deposited at the Regional Gynaikothrips uzeli Zimmerman (Thysanoptera: Museum of Entomology, Department of Entomol- Phlaeothripidae) on F. benjamina plants by 95% ogy, UFV. (Arthurs et al. 2011). Defoliation of F. benjamina One species of Lepidoptera (Halysidota sp.) plants by Halysidota sp. can reduce its biomass and one of Diptera (Belvosia sp.) were collected (Tavares et al. 2012b). on plants of F. benjamina in this study. Groups The gregarious habit of Halysidota sp. cater- of Halysidota sp. with an average of 142 cater- pillars on F. benjamina trunks facilitates observa- 274 Florida Entomologist 97(1) March 2014 TABLE 1. NUMBER OF CATERPILLARS AND PERCENT PUPATION AND MORTALITY (%) OF HALYSIDOTA SP. (LEPIDOPTERA: ARCTIIDAE), AND THE NUMBER OF BELVOSIA SP. (DIPTERA: TACHINIDAE) INDIVIDUALS THAT EMERGED FROM HALYSIDOTA SP. PUPAE. THE HALYSIDOTA SP. CATERPILLARS WERE COLLECTED FROM FICUS BENJAMINA (MORACEAE) AT VIÇOSA, MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL. Number of caterpillars per group Parameters observed 158 144 137 129 No. Halysidota pupae & % pupation 132; 83.54% 122; 84.72% 116; 84.67% 102; 79.07% No. and % of dead caterpillars 26; 16.46% 22; 15.28% 21; 15.33% 27; 20.93% No. of emerged lepidopterans 0 11 0 0 No. of emerged Belvosia sp. & % emergence 68; 51.52% 61; 50.00% 57; 49.14% 64; 62.75% No. of unviable Belvosia sp. pupae and % unviable 64; 32.02% 60; 33.72% 59; 35.53% 38; 16.32% 1Emergence of one Halysidota sp. (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae). tion of their behavior during the day, but at night The emergence of Belvosia sp. from Halysidota they disperse to feed on leaves of upper branches sp. pupae suggests that has considerable poten- of this plant, as was found for A. helops (Horgan tial as a biocontrol agent. Belvosia sp. parasitized 2005). The early instars of the latter species may 22% of A. helops caterpillars, but lower rates of aggregate on F. benjamina stems plants in ref- larger and older groups in large refuge areas on F. uge areas not filled by older instars of the same benjamina trees. This shows that larger groups of species. Small groups of A. helops caterpillars caterpillars and gregariousness are defensive for- were present in holes of rotting wood and among mations (Horgan 2005). Tachinidae were report- branches and aerial roots of F. benjamina. On the ed flying nearF. benjamina trunks with infested other hand, large groups of caterpillars aggregat- with A. helops caterpillars during the day (Horgan ed mainly on trunks of this plant (Horgan 2005).