Potential Host Range of the Newly Introduced Aphid Parasitoid Aphidius transcaspicus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Hawaii

Abstract

Aphidius transcaspicus Telenga, a mealy plum aphid (Hyalopterus pruni Geoffroy) parasitoid from the Mediterranean, was recently introduced into Hawaii for control of invasive aphids. Under laboratory conditions the parasitoid successfully attacked several important aphid pests in Hawaii, including the melon aphid Aphis gossypii Glover, the banana aphid Pentalonia nigronervosa (Coquerel), the green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer), the corn leaf aphid Rhopolosiphum maidis (Fitch), and the cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora Koch. It could not successfully parasitize the turnip aphid Lipaphis pseudobrassicae Kalt or the black citrus aphid Toxoptera aurantii (Boyer de Fonscolombe). Field cage tests with P. nigronervosa and M. persicae also showed that A. transcaspicus successfully attacked both host species under semi-natural conditions, and preferred M. persicae over P. nigronervosa.