A survey of Lygus spp. and its nymphal parasitoid Peristenus howardi was conducted to compare percent parasitism of Lygus in alfalfa seed and neighboring crop and non-crop plants. The data was collected in the alfalfa seed producing regions of southwestern Idaho, eastern Oregon, and northern Nevada during the summers of 2002 and 2003. Sweep net samples were taken every two weeks to sample the Lygus nymphs on a succession of hosts present throughout the growing season. The percent parasitism and the identity of Peristenus howardi were confirmed using PCR with species-specific primers (Barbour, Mowry and Seymour, 2003). Preliminary results from the 2002 sampling data indicate that Peristenus are present in the southwestern region of Idaho between late June and early August. Percent parasitism peaks in early July when Lygus nymphs are in greatest abundance.
Species 1: Heteroptera Miridae Lygus (western tarnished plant bug)
Species 2: Hymenoptera Braconidae Peristenus howardi
Keywords: parasitism
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