A study on the emergence sequence of pupal parasitoids of the pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa

Abstract

The emergence of pupal parasitoids from collected pupae of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae) was recorded over a 2-year period. The moths and the parasitoid species Villa brunnea (Diptera: Bombylidae), Phryxe caudata (Diptera: Tachinidae), Coelichneumon rudis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) emerged sequentially. The ecological implications of such parasitism are discussed.

Keywords:

• PPM
• Ichneumonidae
• Tachinidae
• Bombylidae
• parasitoids

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Liekele Sijstermans from the Zoological Museum, Amsterdam for identification of Phryxe caudata and Villa brunnea, and Kees Zwakhals for the identification of Coelichneumon rudis and for commenting on earlier drafts of the article.