First report and molecular determination of Apanteles galleriae Wilkinson (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a parasitoid of the lesser wax moth Achroia grisella F. (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) in Northwest Argentina

Abstract

Achroia grisella and Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) are two of the most common pests in apiaries worldwide since in their larval stage they feed on wax combs that bees use for their offspring, on bees’ food, and on the wooden boxes. After finding some specimens of parasitoids associated to A. grisella cocoons in Tucumán, Argentina, our objective was to accurately identify the species and to study its oviposition habit as a basic biological aspect of the host-parasitoid association. We identified the parasitoid wasps as Apanteles galleriae (Braconidae, Microgastrinae) and herein report the species emerging from A. grisella for the first time in Argentina. Morphological and mitochondrial analyses of specimens coincided in their identification. Further studies on this parasitoid species will allow us to design strategies for the biological control of this important beehive pest.

Keywords:

• Apis mellifera
• biocontrol
• beehive pests
• molecular barcode
• parasitoid wasp

Acknowledgements

Luciano Vaquera, José A. Alonso, Agustín Mateucci, and Rebeca Occhionero (Faculty of Natural Sciences, National University of Tucumán) assisted in the lab. We thank Adriana Chalup (Miguel Lillo Foundation and Faculty of Natural Sciences, National University of Tucumán) for the photographs. Thanks to Mario Gallo and the Mora Micuna Cooperative for the donation of bee hives.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.