Droevendaalsesteeg 10
6708 PB Wageningen
The Netherlands
About
Hyperparasitoids are insects that parasitize the larvae or pupae of primary parasitoids They are ubiquitous and can be found in virtually all trophic chains in the insect world in a wide range of environments. They have a major impact on the population dynamics of the primary parasitoid. Hyperparasitoids can be divided into idiobionts which kill the host during oviposition and koinobionts which allow the host to continue feeding and growing . They are perfect models to investigate the optimal use of limited resources such as carbon and nitrogen stored in a parasitoid host which is generally slightly bigger than the hyperparasitoids. Wingless solitary generalist Gelis agilis is an intriguing hyperparasitoid that is asexual with all females and mimics the garden ant Lasius niger to release ant alarm pheromone when panicked. Gelis agilis parasitize cocoons of host parasitoid Cotesia glomerata which developed from parasitized host Pieris rapae larvae. As a model hyperparasitoid closely related to other insects, Gelis agilis and other geline parasitoids are worth exploiting as the bionomics is still beyond totally clear.
The aim of my research is to figure out how the reproduction of hyperparasitoid. To explore how the maternal effect and cannibalism can influence offspring since they are vital components for insects. Combined with the field study to check the food chain in different environments, this research will contribute to the understanding of the bionomics of hyperparasitoid.
Biography
Publications
Key publications
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Repellency of novel catnip oils against the bed bug (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., resurged as an important urban pest in the last 20 yr. Yet, there are no commercial repellent products labeled for bed bugs available in the United States. We evaluated the repellency of two catnip oils from newly developed cultivars, CR3 and CR9, and compared each to 10 and 25% N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET). CR3 contains 63.4% E,Z-nepatalactone and 27.5% Z,E-nepatalactone, and CR9 contains 94.9% Z,E-nepatalactone. Arena studies showed that CR3 and CR9 oils were more effective than DEET within a 24-h period. At 10% concentration, both CR3 and CR9 oils exhibited a repellency of over 94% during the first 8 h. At 25% concentration, the repellency of CR3 and CR9 oils increased to 100%, and repellency of DEET was 92% during the first 24 h. Repellency of 25% CR3 and CR9 oils became lower than 25% DEET after being aged for 3 d. After 28-d aging, repellency of 25% CR3, CR9, and DEET reduced to 25, 64, and 92%, respectively. Soiled socks were placed above repellent treated bands to determine if the repellent can protect soiled socks from being infested. The 20% CR3 oil prevented 100% of bed bugs from infesting soiled socks showing that it was more effective than DEET. These results indicate that catnip oils from CR3 and CR9 cultivars are more repellent than DEET over a 24-h period following application, but their longevity is shorter than DEET after 72 h. -
Calling and mating behavior of Diaphania angustalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)
Diaphania angustalis Snellen (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) has emerged as a very important pest of blackboard tree, Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. (Apocynaceae), in China during the last two decades. Understanding its biology and behavior is crucial for designing effective and environmentally friendly pest management strategies. Under laboratory conditions [25-28°C, 12:12 (L:D) h, 75-80% RH], adults emerged during both light and dark hours with peak emergence occurring between the first and fifth hours of scotophase, and unmated males and females lived for a mean (±SE) 5.4 ± 0.4 and 5.3 ± 0.7 d, respectively. Female calling behavior was observed only during scotophase (peaking in the fifth hour) by 1- to 5-d-old females, and mating activities occurred 2-5 d after emergence, peaking on day 3. These behavioral characteristics could inform control programs targeting adults. -
Field Evaluation of Commercial Attractants and Trap Placement for Monitoring Pine Sawyer Beetle, Monochamus alternatus (Coleopte
The pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a serious insect pest of pine trees by vectoring the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus (Steiner and Buhrer) Nickle (Nematoda: Aphelenchoididae). Field studies were carried out during 2013–2015 in Guangdong (China) to evaluate the effectiveness of commercial attractants, effect of trap placement for monitoring M. alternatus, and temporal patterns of trap catch. Four commercial attractants, three trap placements (0, 1.5, and 3 m above ground) and different trapping distances (50, 200, 400, 600, and 900 m) from forest edge were evaluated for monitoring M. alternatus. Traps baited with a mixture of monochamol and plant volatiles captured significantly more beetles than traps baited with monochamol alone or plant volatiles alone. Traps set up at 1.5 m above the ground captured significantly more M. alternatus than those at 0 m and 3 m height. Based on 2,687 beetles trapped from two locations in 2013 and 2014, the female:male ratio was 2.9–4.1:1. The beetles’ natural dispersal distance was approximately 100 m based on traps set at different distances from edge of the forest. Continuous monitoring over 38-wk period indicates the peak of adult M. alternatus emergence was between May and June within a year.