Biological Control of Taro Scarab Beetle (Papuanauninodis, Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Instars Via Scoliid and Voria Tachinidae Parasitoid Wasps.

Scoliid and Voria Tachinidae parasitoid wasps are shown to be able to control the population of the Taro Scarab beetle (Papuanauninodis, Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) larvae using a newly created continuous-time simulation model based on non-linear ordinary differential equations that track the populations of the beetle’s life cycle stages: egg, larva, pupa, adult and the populations of the two parasitoid wasps. Due to the fact that the scarab beetles are, relatively speaking, long lived it is challenging to drive down the adult population below the environmental carrying capacity. Mortality and predator/prey capture rates are modelled using the Weibull and Pascal probability distribution functions, respectively. We suggest the use of a virus or fungi to drive down the population of the adult beetles, the ambition being to avoid the use of pesticides so as to produce higher quality food that doesn’t damage human health via chemical residues.

Diversity of Braconidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) of the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, Rondonia, Brazil / Diversidade de Braconidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) do Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brasil

Braconidae is a highly diversified family of Hymenoptera and usually known by their role in biological control both in agricultural and natural ecosystems. Despite of that, little is known about its diversity in the Amazon region. The present work inventoried the braconid fauna of an Open Ombrophylous Forest with Palm Trees of the Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, RO. Insects were collect from June/2008 to May/2009 using six Malaise traps in different parts of the reserve. A total of 377 wasps were captured, 17 subfamilies and 56 genera identified. Braconinae, Microgastrinae, Doryctinae and Rogadinae subfamilies were very abundant, and also the genera Aleiodes, Bracon, Capitonius, Compsobracon, Heterospilus, Hymenochaonia, Opius, Pedinotus, Rogas and Stantonia. The calculated Shannon diversity index was 2.15 and 3.3 for subfamily and genera, respectively, which were, generally, higher than the values found for other regions in Brazil. Generally, parasitoids were more abundant during the rainy season. The present work contributes with new genera records and faunistic data of Braconidae in Rondonia State, western Amazon.

Braconidae é uma família altamente diversificada dentro da ordem Hymenoptera, possuindo grande importância no controle biológico tanto em sistemas agrícolas como em sistemas naturais. Contudo, a diversidade do grupo ainda é pouco conhecida para a região amazônica. Neste sentido, o presente estudo vem contribuir para este conhecimento através do inventariamento da assembléia de braconídeos do Parque Natural Municipal de Porto Velho, Rondônia. As coletas foram realizadas pelo período de um ano, utilizando seis armadilhas Malaise em uma área de Floresta Ombrófila Aberta com palmeiras. Foram coletados 377 espécimes, identificados em 17 subfamílias e 56 gêneros. As subfamílias Braconinae, Microgastrinae, Doryctinae e Rogadinae foram consideradas muito abundantes, assim como os gêneros: Aleiodes, Bracon, Capitonius, Compsobracon, Heterospilus, Hymenochaonia, Opius, Pedinotus, Rogas e Stantonia. O índice de diversidade calculado para as subfamílias (H = 2,15) e gêneros (H = 3,3) coletados neste trabalho foi maior do que o encontrado em alguns trabalhos em outras regiões do Brasil. A abundância desses insetos durante a estação chuvosa foi significativamente maior do que na seca. Este trabalho contribui com novos dados faunísticos sobre Braconidae para o Estado de Rondônia.

New records of ppecies of leucospidae (hymenoptera: chalcidoidea) for Colombia / Registros nuevos de especies de Leucospidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) para Colombia

Two new records of Leucospis are reported from Colombia: Leucospis aliena and Leucospis enderleini. Including the species reported here, eleven species of Leucospis occur in Colombia. This paper also reports a new locality for Leucospis colombiana from Colombia in the department of Magdalena and an additional record of Polistomorpha conura in the department of Amazonas. The specimens are deposited in the entomological collection José Hernández Camacho Museum of the Alexander von Humboldt Institute (IAvH-E), Villa de Leyva (Boyacá, Colombia).

Dos especies de Leucospis se reportan por primera vez para Colombia Leucospis aliena y Leucospis enderleini. Teniendo en cuenta estos nuevos registros, el número de especies de Leucospis reportadas para el país se eleva a 11. Además se reporta una nueva localidad en Colombia para Leucospis colombiana en el departamento del Magdalena y un registro adicional para Polistomorpha conura en el departamento del Amazonas. Los especímenes se encuentran depositados en la colección entomológica del Museo José Hernández Camacho del Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt (IAvH-E), Villa de Leyva (Boyacá, Colombia).