Toxicity of some pesticides to Eretmocerus debachi (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), an important parasitoid of Parabemisia myricae (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

The effects of nine pesticides commonly used in citrus orchards were tested on adults, larvae and pupae of the parasitoid Eretmocerus debachi Rose & Rosen in the laboratory. All pesticides caused immediate mortality to adult parasitoid females and significant losses in efficiency, if applied to larvae of E. debachi in its host Parabemisia myricae (Kuwana). Only the fungicide captan and the insecticide Mercathion (malathion) were slightly harmful and harmless to the parasitoid larva. Gramoxone (paraquat), Dursban 4 (chlopyrifos-ethyl), Mercathion and Supracide (methidathion) were harmful to E. debachi pupae, while five other pesticides were only moderately harmful or harmless. © 1994, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved