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ABSTRACT
The parasitoid Peristenus relictus was established in California to help regulate Lygus species. This study surveyed the San Joaquin Valley and South Coast of California to determine this parasitoid’s current southern geographic range. Peristenus relictus recoveries were made in all sampled counties, including Santa Barbara and Ventura along the coast, and Tulare, Kings and Kern inland. Parasitism was notably high in Santa Barbara County, where 61.7% of Lygus nymphs collected from weedy plants were parasitised. However, as parasitism was scarce in the San Joaquin Valley (0–12.5%), future research should examine possible inhibitors (e.g. climate) of this biological control.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Jimmy Klick and Samantha Tochen for their help in releasing and documenting this parasitoid. I would also like to acknowledge Ryan Kennedy, Bridget Mancillas, Cory Penca and Claira Castillo, who all provided excellent technical assistance.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).