Parasitoids and Entomopathogens of the Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Nayarit, Mexico

Abstract

Thirteen-hundred larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda were collected from infested maize fields in Nayarit in 2011 and 2012. These larvae were examined for natural enemies. Six parasitoid species were found and identified such as Cotesia sp. (0.3\%) and Chelonus insularis (3.9\%) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Pristomerus spinator (1.1\%), Campoletis sp. (0.3\%) and Hyposoter sp. (0.1\%) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), and one tachinid fly Archytas marmoratus (0.07\%) (Diptera: Tachinidae). Also two entomopathogenic fungi were isolated: Beauveria bassiana (3.7\%) and Nomuraea rileyi (8.9\%), and one nucleopolyhedrovirus (11\%) SfMNPV (Baculoviridae). Total percentage of parasitism was 29.7\%, which generates a potential use in biological control programs by conservation.