Effect of temperature on the developmental rate, longevity and parasitism of Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae)

Abstract

Temperature-dependent development, longevity and parasitism of the parasitoid Aphidius ervi Haliday was measured at four constant temperatures between 15°C and 30°C using Aphis pomi de Geer as host. The thresholds for egg-mummy and mummy-adult development were 6.8°C and 3.9°C, respectively. Development into mummies required an average of 146.3 degree-days (DD), while development into adults took an average of 85.3 DD. Longevity was increasing linearly in the range from 15°C to 25°C (8-15 days), but was lower at 30°C (11 days). The relationship between parasitism, recorded as percent aphids mummified, and temperature was increasing at the temperatures 15-25°C, but decreasing at higher temperatures; 10.8% of the aphids were parasitised at 15°C, 15.9% at 25°C and 14.6% at 30°C. These results are compared with previously reported data on temperature-dependent development of A. ervi on a different host.

Keywords

• aphidius ervi
• development time
• parasitism
• longevity
• thermal constants