Parasitoids of Antichloris viridis Druce (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) defoliator of plantain (Musa AAB, sub-group plantain cv. Hartón) in the eastern and southern region of lake Maracaibo, Venezuela

Resumen

Antichloris viridis Druce, eggs, larvae and pupae, were collected from plantain (Musa AAB, sub-group plantain cv. Hartón) in the municipalities of Francisco Javier Pulgar , Colón and Baralt of the Zulia state, Venezuela, since May 1999 until November 2002. Five species of hymenopteran parasitoids were recovered representing three families: Braconidae (Microgastrinae); Scelionidae (Telenomus sp.) and Chalcididae [Brachymeria mnestor (Walker), Conura immaculata (Cresson) and Conura sp.]. The overall rate of parasitism per year was 17.06% in 1999; 17.53% in 2000; 7.14% in 2001 and 35.9% in 2002, based on 376 eggs, larvae and pupae collected. The highest rate of parasitism from a single collection of 39 was 100%, representing one species of parasitoids in Francisco Javier Pulgar and Baralt. The next highest rate of parasitism, 87.5% was in 1 of 39 collections by one species, Telenomus in Baralt. The most widely distributed species was B. mnestor (Walker) occurring in 14 collections of 39 from the 3 municipalities. Microgastrinae was collected from two municipalites in only 4 collections of 39. The greater diversity of parasitoids and higher rates of parasitism in Francisco Javier Pulgar and Baralt may be related to the more continuos presence of A. viridis in time in those municipalities.