Development and oviposition strategies in two congeneric gregarious larval-pupal endoparasitoids of the seven-spot ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata

Aphids are serious pests of many crops in agroecosystems and their biological control is focused on enhancing the performance specialized natural enemies aphids such as parasitoid wasps predators like ladybirds. However, ladybirds often attacked by own parasitoids fourth trophic level that can negatively affect ladybird and, hence, effectiveness agents. The biology ecology these has been less well explored. This study compared various life-history traits two closely related seven-spot ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): Oomyzus scaposus O. spiraculus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), which naturally co-occur eastern China facultatively gregarious koinobiont larval-pupal endoparasitoids beetles. They oviposit develop all four larval instars hosts but kill emerge from pupae. Both did not have a clear oviposition preference for any host instar, duration tended to increase first third instar hosts. Moreover, time was significantly longer than scaposus. Adult eclosion parasitized (ranging between 35 45%) sex ratios (85–90% female) were similar both species differ among instars. Brood sizes Egg-to-adult development shorter eclosing adults heavier those spiraculus. In species, decreased with at parasitism, instar-specific effects biomass differed species: developed second hosts, whereas decrease parasitism. females larger males. Our results show expression some vary depending parasitized, do point specific optimal each parasitoids. despite being related, there variability