Short CommunicationDemographic potential of the pupal parasitoid Trichopria drosophilae (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) reared on Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

- A standard life table was constructed for Trichopria drosophilae from East China.
- Drosophila suzukii pupae reared in laboratory can be used by the parasitoid as hosts.
- Parameters regarding reproduction and population increase were obtained.
- The parasitoid showed high demographic potential to control the pest insect.

Parasitoids represent a potential tool to control the invasive spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, which has invaded Europe and America, recently. A good example is the pupal parasitoid, Trichopria drosophilae, would be an effective biocontrol agent. Populations of D. suzukii, and T. drosophilae were collected from a blueberry orchard in East China and reared in the laboratory at 25 °C. Life table and population growth data for T. drosophilae were obtained using D. suzukii pupae as a host. Mean adult longevity was 22.40 d and 26.45 d, for females and males respectively. The mean oviposition period was 18.20 d. The daily mean parasitization rate was 9.47% per female when 30 hosts were daily provided. The total number of T. drosophilae offspring throughout a lifetime was 63.45 per female, and the female offspring proportion was 65.06%. The intrinsic rate of natural increase and the finite rate of increase were 0.18 and 1.19, respectively. The generation time and the population doubling time were 21.29 d and 3.91 d, respectively. Our results suggest that T. drosophilae population differed among populations in population growth parameters, and those from China also has the parasitism potential to control D. suzukii.

Drosophila suzukii can lay eggs in such soft and thin skinned fruits as blueberries, and causes great economic damage worldwide. Trichopria drosophilae from East China can parasitize D. suzukii pupae and use it as hosts to complete life history.204