Laboratory Biology of Chetogena Scutellaris (diptera: Tachinidae), a Parasitoid of Noctuidae, Reared on Fall Armyworm and Cabbage Looper

The tachinid parasitoid Chetogena scutellaris (Wulp) was reared from southern armyworm, Spodoptera eridania (Cramer), a new host record. When reared in cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), (a new host) and in fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), in the laboratory, C. scutellaris developed successfully ca. 30% of the time. Success of parasitism depended on the numbers of eggs laid per host, host age, and host species. Parasitoid development was not synchronized with host development. C. scutellaris developed mostly as a solitary parasitoid. Female flies preferred fifth instar hosts for oviposition. Cabbage looper was a better host than fall armyworm for mass rearing of this parasitoid.