Lygus hesperus is a serious pest of cotton and strawberries in California, as well as most seed crops including alfalfa. Parasitoids have never been recovered from Lygus nymphs collected from alfalfa in central California. Nymphal parasitoids were introduced into eastern United States during the 1980's where they have reduced the alfalfa pest Lygus lineolaris. We began importing parasitoids into central California in 1998 for their permanent establishment. Typically, releases have been made into small plots of alfalfa managed for the colonization of imported parastioids, Peristenus spp. (Hym: Braconidae. Peristenus stygicus has been recovered 6 months post-release at 3 of 6 release sites. Maximum parasitism at the original release site reached 34% August 2001. Additional releases and evaluation of established Peristenus spp. is underway.
Species 1: Heteroptera Miridae Lygus hesperus (western tarnished plant bug)
Species 2: Hymenoptera Braconidae Peristenus stygicus
Species 3: Hymenoptera Braconidae Peristenus digoneutis
Keywords: colonization
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