@article {8465,
	title = {Suitability of Listronotus maculicollis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) as a host for Microctonus hyperodae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)},
	journal = {Journal of Economic Entomology},
	volume = {92},
	number = {6},
	year = {1999},
	month = {December},
	pages = {1292-1300},
	type = {Article},
	abstract = {Microctonus hyperodae Loan is an effective parasitoid against Listronotus bonariensis (Kuschel) in New Zealand. To determine the potential for M. hyperodae as a biological control agent for L. maculicollis Dietz, live specimens were imported to a quarantine facility in New Zealand. A series of experiments examined the suitability of 3 South American geographic populations (ecotypes) of M. hyperodae in terms of parasitism rates, prepupal emergence, and development times compared with the natural host, L. bonariensis. Limited development occurred in L. maculicollis by all 3 ecotypes, but parasitism rate was significantly lower than in L. bonariensis. Comparison with a related parasitoid showed higher rates of prepupal emergence from L. maculicollis for M. aethiopoides Loan than for M. hyperodae. The presence of annual bluegrass, Poa annua, in the test arena and prior experience on L. maculicollis increased parasitism rate significantly when a combination of L. maculicollis and L. bonariensis were exposed to M. hyperodae. The low rate of successful prepupal emergence by M. hyperodae in L. maculicollis was attributed in part to a physiological response by L. maculicollis which led to encapsulation of the developing parasitoid egg and larva. Based on these results, M. hyperodae probably would not be a suitable biological control agent of L. maculicollis in the United States because of the low rates of parasitism observed under laboratory conditions and delayed development times compared with those in the natural host, L. bonariensis. M. aethiopoides is more successful in parasitizing and developing in L. maculicollis, but this parasitoid also exhibited significantly lower levels of parasitism compared with L. bonariensis, although development times were comparable. Furthermore, M. aethiopoides used in these trials probably originated in North Africa and may not be suited to a northeastern United States climate.},
	keywords = {Listronotus bonariensis, Listronotus maculicollis},
	isbn = {0022-0493},
	author = {McNeill, Mark R. and Vittum, Patricia J. and Baird, David B.}
}
@article {8464,
	title = {Serratia marcescens as a rapid indicator of Microctonus hyperodae oviposition activity in Listronotus maculicollis and potential application of the technique to host-specificity testing},
	journal = {Entomologia Experimentalis Et Applicata},
	volume = {95},
	number = {2},
	year = {2000},
	month = {May},
	pages = {193-200},
	type = {Article},
	abstract = {Listronotus maculicollis (Dietz) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a potential novel host of the braconid parasitoid Microctonus hyperodae Loan, but initial studies have shown that levels of parasitism are lower than in the natural host L. bonariensis (Kuschel). A novel bacterial indicator test was used to determine whether the lower level of parasitism was due to behavioural factors, lack of oviposition, or host resistance. The incidence of ovipositor penetration by the parasitoid M. hyperodae into adult L. maculicollis was measured by immersing the ovipositor of the parasitoid in the facultative pathogen, Serratia marcescens Bizio. Adult weevils were then exposed to parasitoids for up to 72 h and rapid mortality used as an indicator of oviposition penetration. Survival was assessed after six days and surviving weevils were dissected and examined for parasitoid larvae. Mortality among L. maculicolis exposed to parasitoids treated with S. marcescens was significantly higher (P<0.001) than the controls but significantly lower (P<0.001) than in the natural host, L. bonariensis. Dissection of weevils exposed to uncontaminated parasitoids revealed that parasitism in L. maculicolis was significantly (P<0.001) less than parasitism in L. bonariensis. Serratia marcescens-induced mortality plus parasitism of surviving weevils in the parasitoid plus bacteria treatments produced a similar overall effect. Application of bacteria to the parasitoid ovipositor provided a rapid, simple test for ovipositor penetration, which shows potential for separation of behavioural and physiological defence mechanisms in parasitoid/host range studies.},
	isbn = {0013-8703},
	author = {McNeill, Mark R. and Vittum, Patricia J. and Jackson, Trevor A.}
}
