Field parasitism of Cephonodes hylas linnaeus (lepidoptera: sphingidae), an insect pest of robusta coffee Coffea canephora (pierre ex. Froehner) in Nigeria.

Abstract

Studies on field parasitism by four natural enemies of Cephonodes hylas (Linnaeus) were carried out at two robusta coffee (Coffea canephora Pierre ex. Froehner) experimental plots at the Headquarters of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Ibadan. The parasites comprised two egg parasitoids Telenomus sp. (Hymenoptera: Sceliondae) and Ooencyrtus sp. nr. epilachne (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) and two larval parasitoids Euplectrus sp. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) and Ceromya femorata Mesnil (Diptera: Tachinidae).
The results showed that Telenomus sp., the most important egg parasitoid accounted for 5.6 to 57.1% (mean 24.4%) parasitism of the eggs of C. hylas in the open coffee plot and 0 to 53.3% (mean 19.2%) in the shaded plot. The major larval parasitoid Euplectrus sp. was responsible for 1.2 to 33.3% (mean 13%) and 20.0 to 100% (mean 51%) levels of parasitism of the larvae at the open and shaded plots respectively. Notes are also given on the developmental periods and the host parasite relationship of the parasitoids.


IFE Journal of Science Vol. 9 (2) 2007 pp. 173-176