Parasitism rates of Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in experienced and novel environments

The wasp Lysiphlebus testaceipes is a generalist aphid parasitoid capable of using ca. 100 species of aphids as a host for larval development.  In crops like winter wheat, Triticum aestivum, and winter canola, Brassica napus, there are several aphid species that pose a risk for economic injury in their respective crops. Lysiphlebus testaceipes’ wide host range may be important for their ability to manage the pests. In Oklahoma, canola is used as a rotational crop with wheat, so any parasitoid wasp populations present in wheat will likely be near a canola crop as well. The effectiveness of experienced L. testaceipes wasps versus those inexperienced to the host and environment will be compared in a laboratory experiment using two different aphids and plants. Wheat and canola plants will be grown in pots that can be contained in tubular acetate cages to be later infested with either bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalisiphum padi, or cabbage aphid, Brevicoryne brassicae, respectively. Lysiphlebus testaceipes raised on bird cherry-oat and wheat as well as wasps raised on cabbage aphid and canola will be introduced into experienced and inexperienced environments. Data on rate of parasitism will be determined for each environment.  Higher parasitism rates are expected by L. testaceipes placed in experienced environments versus rates for wasps placed into inexperienced environments.