Parasitoides del gusano cogollero Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), em maiz en el trópico húmedo de Costa Rica

Abstract

Parasitoids of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) were identified and quantified in the humid tropics of Costa Rica. Parasitoids killed 65% of the larvae collected during the study. Parasitoids levels for the primary species were Chelonus insularis Cresson 45%, Eiphosoma vitticole Cresson 13% and Pristomerus spinator (F.) 5%. Species with rates less than 1% were Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson), Ophion sp., Archytas marmoratus (Townsend), Chelonus cautus (Cresson), and Homolobus truncator (Say). The relationship between host and parasitoids was density dependent when the larvae population of S. frugiperda was less or equal to 4,000/ha. High levels of parasitism were observed at 18 days after seedling emergence (85%), or at densities of 11,000 larvae/ha (76%).