Abstract

MORALES, José et al. New reports and distribution of Trichogramma species (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) in Lara State, Venezuela. Bioagro [online]. 2010, vol.22, n.2, pp.159-162. ISSN 1316-3361.

Field and laboratory studies were conducted to obtain new distribution records of Trichogramma wasp species in Lara State, Venezuela. In the field, specimens were obtained from traps containing eggs of Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) and from lepidopteran egg samples collected from various crop leaves. In the laboratory, specimens of Trichogramma were mounted on microscope slides to show male genitalia and other morphological characters used for identification. It was found that Trichogramma atopovirilia Oatman y Platner emerged from lepidopteran eggs in Morán and Jiménez Municipalities, while T. pretiosum did it in Morán and Andrés Eloy Blanco. Both species exerted their parasitism on several hosts located at different altitudes. The reports of T. atopovirilia parasitizing eggs of Spodoptera frugiperda in Quíbor (Jiménez Municipality), T. pretiosum in eggs of Agraulis vanillae (L.) in Sabana Grande (Andrés Eloy Blanco Municipality), and Trichogramma sp.1 in eggs of Ornatrix Utetheisa (L.) and Trichogramma sp.2 in eggs of Erinnyis sp. in El Pampero (Iribarren Municipality) are new records for this parasitoid in Lara State.

Keywords : Spodoptera frugiperda; Sitotroga cerealella; biological control; geographical distribution.