Life history of Amitus fuscipennis (Hym., Platygastridae) as parasitoid of the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hom., Aleyrodidae) on tomato as function of temperature

Life history parameters of Amitus fuscipennis MacGown and Nebeker as parasitoid of Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) were determined at 15, 20, 25 and 30°C on tomato using three different methods. For each method, immature development, mortality, longevity, fecundity, oviposition frequency and post-oviposition period were determined and temperature-dependent relations were estimated. Oviposition frequency was also estimated as a function of parasitoid age. Immature development had a maximum of 61 days at 15°C that decreased to 22 days at 30°C. Mortality in the grey stage was less than 2% at temperatures lower than 30°C, where it was 60%. Longevity fluctuated between 3 and 18 days. Fecundity increased from 338 eggs/female at 15°C to a maximum of 430 eggs/female at 25°C and then decreased to 119 eggs/female at 30°C. Oviposition frequency varied between 3 and 46 eggs/female per day and had its maximum on the first day after emergence of the parasitoid. Net reproduction rate, generation time and intrinsic rate of increase were calculated. The intrinsic rate of increase increased from 0.090 at 15°C to a maximum of 0.233 at 25°C and then decreased to 0.159 at 30°C. The influence of the methods to determine the life history parameters on the results is discussed. The results are compared also with the life history of Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hym., Aphelinidae) a parasitoid of the same host. The advantages and disadvantages of the pro-ovigenic A. fuscipennis in comparison with the synovigenic E. formosa are discussed.