Bioecological aspects of Cynea (Cynea) diluta (Herrich-Schäffer, 1869) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae)

Abstract

In Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera), many species build shelters during their ontogeny which may be serve as a scape strategy to reduce attacks from natural enemies and dislodgment from the host plant. This paper provides bioecological information regarding host plant, natural parasitism, and distribution of Cynea (Cynea) diluta (Herrich-Schäffer) (Hesperiidae: Hesperiinae) collected near remnants of the Atlantic Forest “Centro de Endemismo Pernambuco” (CEPE), Northeast Region of Brazil. Larvae and pupae, the later showing signs of parasitism, were collected from a garden at the Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, State of Alagoas, Brazil. They were brought to the laboratory to record emergences and possible parasitoids. Data from distribution were obtained from labels of hesperiid deposited from the Coleção Entomológica Padre Jesus Santiago Moure, Curitiba, State of Paraná. The host plant was identified as Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K. Schum. (Zingiberaceae). From the 13 larvae and two pupae collected in the environment, 20 specimens of Brachymeria sp. (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) emerged from the pupae. This is the first report of parasitism on pupae of Cynea (C.) diluta.

Keywords

• biological control
• host plant
• parasitoid
• red ginger
• trotrophic association