Lespesia archippivora

Lespesia archippivora is a species of tachinid fly, which, like all tachinids, are parasitoids of other arthropods. L. archippivora lives in the body of its host resulting in its death. This is not uncommon since it is estimated that about 10% of all insects are parasitoids. L. archippivora is a generalist and able to infect at least 25 lepidopteran species in addition to one species of Hymenoptera. It is common in North America and other species exist worldwide.[1]

Lespesia archippivora
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Class:
Insecta
Order:
Diptera
Suborder:
Brachycera
Family:
Tachinidae
Genus:
Lespesia
Species:
L. archippivora
Binomial name
Lespesia archippivora

It is used as a biological control of a number of pests, such the army worm (Mythimna unipuncta), sugarcane leaf roller (Omiodes accepta), corn earworm (Heliothis zea), black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), and variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia).

It is a concern in the morbidity of monarch butterflies. Researchers do not all agree that a high census of L. archippivora may regulate the population or have an effect on the fall migration of eastern monarch butterflies to Mexico. The butterfly does not survive the infection and it is estimated that 6.2% of wild-monitored monarch butterflies are killed by this fly. One study indicated that even the eggs of the monarch butterfly can be infected.[2]

In 1898 it was introduced into the Hawaiian Islands by Albert Koebele and used as a biological control agent to reduce the population of army worms.[3]

Reproduction

Mating occurs within the first day after the fly emerged from its pupa stage. After mating, the female begins to locate a host. She acts quickly when she finds a host, ovipositing at the posterior end of the caterpillar. The female fly places relatively large eggs on the host. The maggot then hatches and burrows through the surface of the host. After infection, Lespesia archippivora maggots go through three larval instars, exit their hosts as a late stage larva and hide under soil substrate. While residing inside its host, the maggot moves freely. After 3 days, the fly larva adheres itself close to a spiracle (breathing tube) of the infected caterpillar. As the maggot continues to mature, it eventually consumes the internal contents of its host. The fly larva then leaves its host. The fly pupates and emerges as a mature fly approximately 10 to 14 days later. A mature female fly lays between 15 and 204 eggs in her lifetime.[4][5][6]

Hyperparistoids

While L. archippivora can infect a host other parasites, called hyperparasitoids can infect the parasite. A species of wasp, Perilampus hyalinus was found to have infected the tachinid larva, L. archippivora.[3]

References
  1. Herd, Rob. "Butterflies of Australia & New Zealand". Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  2. Oberhauser, Karen (2006). "Parasitism of Monarch Butterflies Danaus plexippus by Lespesia archippivora (Diptera: Tachinidae)" (PDF). The American Midland Naturalist. 157: 312–328. doi:10.1674/0003-0031(2007)157[312:pombdp]2.0.co;2.
  3. Karen S. Oberhauser and Michelle J. Solesky, Editors (2004). The Monarch Butterfly; Biology and Conservation (first ed.). Cornell University Press. pp. 258. ISBN 0-8014-4188-9.
  4. Marlos, Daniel (12 June 2012). "Tachinid Fly Parasitizes Monarch Caterpillar". Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  5. Juliao B. Etchegary and Toshiyuri Nishada (August 1975). "Biology of Lespesia archchippvora (Diptera: Tachinidae)" (PDF). Proceeding, Hawaiian Entomological Society. Honolulu, Hawaii: University of Hawaii. XXII (1): 41–49. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  6. Brewer, Jo; Gerard M. Thomas (1966). "Causes of death encountered during rearing of Danaus plexippus (Danaidae)" (PDF). Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. 20 (4): 235–238. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-25. Retrieved 2008-04-13. Lay summary.
  • images of Lespesia archippivora from Monarch Watch
  • Tachinids of Bertha armyworm
  • Progeny Allocation by the Parasitoid Lespesia Archippivora (Diptera: Tachinidae) in Larvae of Spodoptera Exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
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