Insect Sci. Applic. Vol. 14, No. 4, pp. 477-482, 1993 0191-9040/93 $3.00 + 0.

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Printed in Kenya. All rights reserved © 1993 ICIPE

ROLE OF A HYMENOPTERAN PARASITE AND A BACTERIUM

IN THE REGULATION OF A LEPIDOPTERAN PEST IN
TROPICAL ECOSYSTEM

M. S. M. CHRISTOPHER1 and S. MATHAVAN2

'Ram Bahadur Thakur Limited, Estates Central Office, Pandavarmedu, Vandiperiyar - 685 533,
Kerala, India; 2School of Biological Sciences, Madurai Kamaraj University Madurai - 625 021, India

(Received 26 November 1991; accepted 3 September 1992)

Abstract—Occurrence of mortality due to bacterial infection by a gram negative bacterium and the
hymenopteran entomophagous parasite Apanteles glomeratus (L.) was observed in a natural
population of Catopsilia crocale Cramer, a defoliator of the ornamental and medicinal plant Cassia
alata. On regular field observation during the seasons 1980-1981 and 1981-1982, it was found that
mortality due to these factors was mostly confined to the final larval instar and the pupa of C.
crocale. A direct correlation was obtained between population density of C. crocale and the number
of larvae/pupae killed due to these factors. As the incidence of the hymenopteran parasite and
bacteria fluctuate along with the C. crocale population, consideration of the foregoing factors as
potential biological control agents for the pest population of C. crocale, is suggested.

Key Words: Entomophagous parasite, bacteria, mortality, population density, Apanteles glomeratus,
Catopsilia crocale

Resume—Occurance de mortalite produite par infection bacterielle a cause d'une bacterie negative
et le parasite hymenopteran entomophagous Apanteles glomeratus a ete observe dans une population
naturelle de Catopsilia crocale Cramer. Un defoliataur d'une plante ornamentale et medicinale le
Cassia alata. Dans les champs d'observation ordinaires pendant les periodes de 1980-1981 et 1981—
1982, on a trouv6 que la mortalite, due a ces facteurs se limite souvent a le'tape larvaire et de
chrysalide. line relation directe est obtenue entre la densite de la population du C. crocale et le
nombre de larves tuees a cause de ces facteurs. Comme la frequence du hymenopteran et de la
bacterie varie en proportion avec la population du C. crocale, nous suggerons de prendre en compte
les facteurs ci-dexus comme agents biologiques potentiels dans le controle de la population du
parasite C. crocale.

INTRODUCTION the parasite as Apanteles glomeratus (L.). The

Catopsilia crocale Cramer (Lep., Pieridae) is a pest
whose larvae exclusively feed on Cassia alata,
causing considerable damage to the ornamental plant.
On regular field observations on the dynamics of the
larval population of the butterfly during the years
1980 to 1982, it was found that the fourth and fifth
instar larvae and the pupae of the insect suffered
heavy mortality due to infection by bacterium and a
hymenopteran entomophagous parasite. The
bacterium has been identified as gram negative and
symptoms of bacterial infections are black patches at
the posterior region of the larvae and diarrhoea. The
larvae show reduced feeding activity. At an advanced
stage of infection, the larvae and pupae become
almost black in colour. The hymenopteran parasite A.
glomeratus is specific in selecting the life stage of
host and prefers to oviposit on the first or second
instarlarvae(ChristopherandMathavan, 1983). After
hatching, the larvae of the parasite penetrate into the
host and grow along witty it. On completion of larval
development, the parasite larvae emerge from the

477
478 M. S. M. CHRISTOPHER and S. MATHAVAN
body of the host and pupate; the host invariably dies.
The present paper deals with the role of the bacterium
and the parasite on the regulation of C. crocale larval
populations, and the scope for their use as biological
control agents.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The area chosen for the study was about 7500 m 2
situated within the campus of Madurai Kamaraj
University, Madurai, India. It is located in a semi arid
region with a variety of diversified tropical fauna and
flora complexes.
To find the seasonal variation in the larval/pupal
mortality due to bacterial and parasite infections,
samples offirstand second instar larvae were collected
monthly from the field (about 80 to 100 per month)
and reared in the laboratory. The number of larvae/
pupae killed by bacteria/parasites was recorded. From
these records the percentage of larvae/pupae killed
by the parasite or by the bacterium was calculated.
The results obtained were then extrapolated to
calculate the mortality in the field population.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Results obtained on the mortality of final instar
larvae and pupae of C. crocale due to the gram
negative bacterium and the hymenopteran parasite,
A. glomeratus, during the different months of the
study period are represented in Fig. 1.
During the 1980-1981 season, the mortality of
fifth instar larvae due to gram negative bacterium
remained almost constant throughout the season,
averaging about 10%. However, A. glomeratus
infection fluctuated along with the change in host
population density. C. crocale builds up its larval
populations following the onset of the southwest
monsoon in the month of May and the populations
persist up to December/January ti 11 the end of northeast
monsoon, with a maximum larval population density
during the month of October/November
(Christopher, 1983). Accordingly, A. glomeratus
infection in the larvae increased from about 8% at the
beginning of the season (May) to a maximum of
about 50% at the end of the season (December).
Similarly, the infection percentages of these factors
in the pupae for the corresponding period, showed a
relatively constant increase from 10 to 55% for
A .glomeratus and from 0 to 32% for the bacterium. A
similar trend was observed in the infection percentage
of these factors during the 1981-1982 season.
Since the maximum and minimum mortality due
to the parasite and the bacterium coincided with the
population density of C. crocale, correlation was
developed relating larval/pupal density and number
killed (Fig. 2). The relationship was highly significant.
However, when the density is related to the percentage
mortality due to parasite and pathogen, a different
pattern of relationship appeared (Fig. 3).
Regulation of lepidopterous larval population by
the hymenopteran parasitoid A. glomeratus (L.) has
been well-documented (Debach and Rosen, 1991;
Huffaker and Messenger, 1976). Driesche (1988a)
observed a density-dependant infestation on Pitris
rapae by the parasitoidA glomeratus. In his studies,
Driesche found that the attack rate of the parasitoid A.
glomeratus on laboratory reared larvae of P. rapae
exposed to 3-4 days period in a Kala field was greater
when five larvae rather than two were placed on
them. Jones et al. (1987) reported that natural enemies
such as A. glomeratus are responsible for high spatial
variability in survival of P. rapae. He observed little
evidence of density-dependant effects. In the present
study, we observed a density dependant parasitization
in C. crocale by A. glomeratus and ahighly significant
linear correlation was observed between density of
the larvae/pupae and parasitization.
Driesche (1988a) observed that infestation by A.
glomeratus was greatest in the first instar larvae of P.
rapae whereas little or no attack occurred in the
second and third instar. He also reported that late
season generation of P. rapae showed reduced losses
in the second to fourth instar and higher mortality in
thefifthinstar due to A. glomeratus (Driesche, 1988b).
In C. crocale ants play a predominant role in directly
checking the first and second instar larvae
(Christopher, 1983). As mentioned in the earlier part
of this article, though A. glomeratus is specific in
selecting first and second instar larvae of C. crocale
for oviposition, only fourth and fifth instar larvae
suffered mortality due to the parasitization.
Recent similar studies have shown that the time
of appearance of adults, eggs and larvae of P. brassicae
and the population size are dependent on weather
condition, especially temperature and precipitation
(Zuranska and Ciepielewska, 1985), which is similar
to the population regulation pattern of C. crocale.
Survey of the literature shows that mortality of pierid
larvae due to A. glomeratus ranged from 8% (C.
crocale present study) to 82% (P. brassicae; Neira et
al., 1989). While assessing the population biology of
Pieris brassicae nepalensis (L.) Thapa (1987) reported
a maximum larval parasitism of 43% due to A.
glomeratus. Gupta (1984) observed 50-70%
cumulative mortality in P. brassicae due to parasitism
and bacterial infection, while studying the bionomics
in the hillaof Himachal Pradesh, India. In the present
 Role of parasite in regulation of pest 479

. A. glomeratus 1980-81
• Bacteria
V instar
60

40

20

0 J I I I I I I L

Pupa
60
/
40

20

0 I I I I

1981-82
60 V instar

40

20

^ 1—-- i L
0
Pupa
60

40

20

0
M J J N D J

Fig. 1. Percentage mortality of final instar larvae and pupae of C. crocale due to A. glomeratus and gram negative
bacterium during different months of the study period 1980-1981 and 1981-1982.

study, while the parasitoid infestation varies from
10-55%, mortality due to bacterial infection ranged
from 0-32%.
The present study revealed that incidence of
parasites and bacteria in the larvae and pupae of C.
crocale play an important role in the regulation of C.
crocale populations. Whenever there is an outbreak
of the host population, incidence of these controlling
factors is high and results in a decline of the host
population (Fig. 4).
From the above observations, it can be concluded
that the incidence of the hymenopteran parasite and
bacterial infection fluctuates along with the C. crocale
population, and plays an important role in the
regulation of larval and pupal populations of C.
crocale. Furthermore, based on the results of the
480 M. S. M. CHRISTOPHER and S. MATHAVAN

100 200r
Bacterial infection

60
Y= 0.51 +0.0916X
y=-3.3 + 0.439X
/•= 0.926
r = 0.993
_ 20

I
1.400 160

Parasitism by A. glomeratus Parasitism by A. glomeratus

1300 120

200 80

V=-3.62 + 0.345X
r= 0.984 V=-2.97 + 0.28X
100 r= 0.981

0 i ...-i 0
200 400 600 800 1000 100 200 300 400
Larval density (number) Pupal density (number)

Fig. 2. Mortality (number) of final instar larvae and pupae due to bacterial infection and parasitic attack. Data
collected for different seasons are pooled together to obtain the relationship.

Bacteria Bacteria
30- 60

20-- 40
••*

10 • ^ 2 0

Q> U i a) n i i i i
<
Pupae kil

0)
A. glomeratus A. glomeratus

40h • 40
#
* / • m •

20 * • • •
20 *

• •
»#
0 i i i i -J 0 i i i i
200 400 600 800 1000 100 200 300 400
Larval density Pupal density

Fig. 3. Mortality (%) of final instar larvae and pupae due to bacterial infection and parasitic attack. Data collected
for different seasons are pooled together to obtain the relationship.
 Role of parasite in regulation of pest 481

host
bacteria
A. glomeratus

1000
m
a

1100
CD
73
C
o
a 10
o
Q.

I I I

1000

V)

^ 100
c
0)

c
1 10
a
o
o.

1L_L
J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J JASONDJ FM
1980 1981 1982

Fig. 4. Regulation of C. crocale population (fifth instar and pupae) by the regulatory factors, A. glomeratus and
bacterium.

present investigation, mass culture of the parasite A. assistance from the University Grants Commission,
glomeratus for its field release against C. crocale is New Delhi, to S. Mathavan through a research project
suggested. is gratefully acknowledged.

Acknowledgements—The authors thank the REFERENCES

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482 M. S. M. CHRISTOPHER and S. MATHAVAN
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