DEPARTMENT OF PEST
MANAGEMENT
Visayas State University
Visca, Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines
Phone +6353563-7536
Email: [email protected]
Websitew: ww.vsu.eduh.ph
PPrt172
Name: Catherine L. Dillo Lab. Instructor: Jofil Mati-om
Course and Year: BSA-PLTP 4 Lab. Schedule: W 7:00-10:00 S032
Exercise No. 4
PARASITISM OF INSECT PESTS IN THE FIELD
Introduction
A parasite is an organism that lives inside or on a larger animal and feeds on it (host). Almost all
insect pests are attacked by at least one parasite. Insects that parasitize other invertebrates are only
parasitic in their immature stages, and they kill their hosts as soon as they achieve adulthood. The
majority of insect parasites (also known as parasitoids) are host-specific wasps or flies, and many
of them are so minute that you may not notice them. An adult parasite can lay eggs in hundreds of
different hosts, reducing the number of pests. A parasitoid is a type of organism that produces
young on or within another organism (the host), eventually destroying it. Parasitoids have
predatory and parasitic tendencies. Parasitoids are extremely selective, attacking only one or a few
closely related species at a time. Until the parasitoid is completely mature, parasitoids can prevent
larval hosts (such as caterpillars) from maturing. In general, adult parasitoids are either nectar
feeders or predators. Only female parasitoids are responsible for locating and exploiting the host. In
most cases, the host does not die until the young have fully matured and are ready to become
adults.
Objectives
At the end of the exercise, the students should be able to:
1. Calculate for the percent parasitism of parasitized cockroach oothecas,
2. Identify the parasitoid to the nearest taxon; and
3. Observe and record the characteristics and emergence process of the identified parasitoid/s
Methodology
A group of three students was created, and each member was given the task of collecting 10
cockroach oothecas, for a total of 30 oothecas collected. Each ootheca was wrapped in a piece of
cloth and tied with a rubber band in its own jar or vial (10 oothecas was comprised one replication).
Each ootheca's first appearance was recorded at the start of the experiment. Any insect emergence
(cockroach, wasp, etc.) was watched regularly, as well as any changes in the ootheca's
appearance.The insects that emerged in each ootheca were inspected and classified into families.
The behavior and characteristics of possible parasitiods were documented. The number of
parasitized oothecas was recorded, and the % parasitism was computed by dividing the total
number of oothecas collected by the number of parasitized oothecas x 100. The parasitoid number
that emerged from each ootheca was counted. After then, the data was tabulated and analyzed.
Before releasing the parasitoids, photographs were taken of them.
Results and Discussion
Figure 1. Cockroach oothecas
Table 1.Percent (%) parasitism of cockroach oothecas.
Jar 1 Jar 2 Jar 3 Total
Number of 10 10 10 30
ootheca
Parasitized 7 6 6 19
oothecas
% Parasitism 63.33%
The % parasitism of cockroach oothecas is shown above. Out of ten oothecas in Jar 1, 7 have been
parasitized by Comperia merceti, followed by Jar 3 with 6 parasitized oothecas and Jar 2 with 6.
Only 19 of the 30 oothecas have been parasitized, indicating a moderate parasitism activity of
63.33 %.
Table 2. Classification of insect parasitoid observed in the ootheca.
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta
Order Hymenoptera
Family Encyrtidae
Genus Comperia
Species Comperia merceti
Comperia merceti (Parasitoid Wasp) is a Hymenoptera species belonging to the Encyrtidae family.
They're diurnal, and is an egg parasitoid is a parasitic organism that feeds on eggs. Adults have
white bandings across the lower wings and antennae and are brown in color. The wasp injects its
eggs into the cockroach's egg capsule. The larvae hatch from the egg and devour the contents as
they grow older before pupating. Adults chew their way out of the egg case in order to mate and
restart the cycle. This trend of increased parasitism followed by a rapid drop in cockroach density
and a gradual shift in population age structure supports the hypothesis that the cockroach
population was decimated by C. merceti.
Conclusion
Therefore, although it demonstrates modest parasitism in this experiment, C. merceti aids in the
control of cockroach populations by having a significant effect on their numbers.
Recommendation
Another attempt with C. merceti is suggested and its parasitism because the samples were taken in
a small space where C.merceti could barely enter.
References
Coler RR, Vandriesche RG, Elkinton JS. 1984. Effect of an oothecal parasitoid, Comperia
merceti (Compere) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), on a population of the brownbanded cockroach
(Orthoptera: Blattellidae). Environmental Entomology 13: 603-606.
R. R. Coler, R. G. Van Driesche, J. S. Elkinton.1 April 1984. Effect of an Oothecal
Parasitoid, Comperia merceti (Compere) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), on a Population of the
Brownbanded Cockroach (Orthoptera: Blattellidae) , Environmental Entomology, Volume 13, Issue
2, Pages 603–606, https://doi-org.eres.qnl.qa/10.1093/ee/13.2.603
Tsai, Tsung-Ju & Chi, Hsin. (2007).Temperature-Dependent Demography of Supella longipalpa
(Blattodea: Blattellidae). Journal of medical entomology. 44. 772-8. 10.1603/0022-
2585(2007)44[772:TDOSLB]2.0.CO;2.
Guide Questions
1. Were you able to differentiate between the parasitized and non-parasitized ootheca? Describe
your observations of the ootheca before and after any parasitoids have emerged.
- Yes, the parasitized ootheca has a damaged covering and a denatured, rough structure, whereas
the non-parasited ootheca is totally closed and shining..
2. Based on the percent parasitism and the number of parasitoids that has emerged, would these
parasitoids cause a dramatic reduction in the pest population? Why or why not?
-Based on the percent parasitism in and the number of parasitoids in this experiment, this parasitoid
could cause dramatic reduction in the pest population given the fact that the place where this
ootheca is collected is closed but still shows significant effect on the population.
