국내 미기록종 Pyemotes moseri Yu et Liang (Acarina: Pyemotidae)는 곤충기생성 응애로 매실 씨앗 속 유충에서 처음 발견되었다. 발견 당시 응애가 기생하고 있었던 기주의 미토콘드리아 유전자를 증폭하여 염기서열을 분석한 결과 복숭아씨살이좀벌의 유충으로 밝혀졌다. 본 연구 는 실험실 조건하에서 P. moseri의 번식과 기생 능력을 조사하였다. 복숭아씨살이좀벌의 유충을 기주로 이용하여 P. moseri의 교미한 암컷 성충을 사육하면서 주기적으로 관찰하여 새로 태어나는 자손의 수와 성별을 조사한 후 제거하였다. 기생 능력 조사는 원예용 상토가 깔린 스테인레스 바 트에 대량 사육한 응애가 들어 있는 튜브와 복숭아씨살이좀벌 유충이 가해한 매실 씨앗을 함께 담은 후 지퍼백에 넣어 인큐베이터에 보관하였다. 복숭아씨살이좀벌 유충 또는 번데기에 응애의 기생 여부를 확인하고자 한달 후 매실 씨앗을 조사하였으며 본 실험은 5반복씩 3회 실시하였다. 교 미한 암컷이 기생하기 시작한 이후부터 생식이 끝날 때까지의 기간은 평균 24.4일(n=8)이었으며 교미한 암컷 한 마리당 평균 104.0마리(n=8)의 암컷을 낳았디. 복숭아씨살이좀벌의 유충 또는 번데기가 들어 있는 매실 씨앗은 바트당 평균 7개 이상이었고 이중 단 2개의 씨앗에서만 기생에 성 공한 응애를 관찰하였다.

Indianmeal moth Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is an economical pest of stored grains and their products, causing severe loss by feeding and producing silken web containing frass and exuvia. An ectoparasitoid Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) attacks this pest as a natural enemy and induce paralysis and developmental arrest in it. At molecular level its venom induce many physiological changes in host P. interpunctella to make it suitable source of food and development for its young ones. To explore these physiological changes at molecular level in P. interpunctella, we observed expression level of different genes having different functions related to immunity, defense and development at different intervals followed by B. hebetor envenomation. Fifth instar day 5 old larvae of P. interpunctella were used in experiment. Our results showed that B. hebetor envenomation effect the gene expression differently in host P. interpunctella. This basic study will be the starting point to understand the role of envenomation in host regulation studies.

Indianmeal moth Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is an important pest of stored grains products. As a natural enemy, an ectoparasitoid Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) has been used to control Lepidopteran pest insects. Venom from parasitoid female alters many physiological functions in host insects. However, mechanism of physiological response of host insects against envenomation and parasitization is not clear. Here we observed the effect of B. hebetor envenomation on the gene expression (shsp, hsp70, grp78 and hsp90) in P. interpunctella at different time intervals of post envenomation. Fifth instar day 5 larvae of P. interpunctella were used in experiment to observe the effect of envenomation. Our results showed that parasitoid envenomation affected the gene expression differently in host insect. This study will provide comprehensive insights on physiological and biochemical mechanism in host-parasitoid relationships.

Potato tuber moth (PTM), Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller), is a serious pest of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants in the fields from warm temperate to tropical climates, and tubers stored under ambient temperatures post-harvest. In recent years, concerns on PTM occurrence and damage to potato are increasing due to climate change resulted in global warming. To search potent natural enemies of PTM, we collected >150 PTM larvae from potato fields in Jeju-do in May, 2009 and then reared in the room until wasp adults emerging, which was identified by Lee J.W. as Diadegma fenestrale (tentative Korean name, 감자뿔나방맵시벌). This is the first report in Korea. When supplied 10% sugar solution on adults to rear, the longevity was 12.2±2.0 day, which was much longer than supplied with only water (5.0±1.4 day) or none (3.1±1.1 day). When the 2nd larvae of PTM, 10 days after hatch, dwelled in potato tubers were supplied to parasitoid adults for parasitization, the developmental periods from egg oviposition to adult emergence was 24.0±2.9 day, and the sex ratio of newly emerged adults was 0.27. The parasitization ratio indoor showed a kaleidoscopic characteristics, ranged from 30.0% to 71.4%. It represented that many factors might be related for the successful parasitization to PTM larvae.

Gryon japonicum (Ashmead), an egg parasitoid of Riptortus clavatus (Thunberg) is an economically important pest of various crops. As a conservational biological control, non-viable refrigerated eggs of R. clavatus were released to enhance parasitism by the parasitoid in soybean field. Since fenitrothion is an insecticide broadly used against R. clavatus, we investigated the effect of fenitrothion on the parasitization of refrigerated host eggs by G. japonicum. The acute toxicity of fenitrothion was compared with seven pesticides by topical application, exposure to residue, and oral ingestion. Fenitrothion, spinosad, cyfluthrin, carbosulfan and thiamithoxam caused 100% mortality within 24 hours by topical application. Fenitrothion was also highly toxic to G. japonicum when ingested orally. In sublethal effects of fenitrothion on G. japonicum in refrigerated and fresh host eggs, adult emergence of G. japonicum decreased by 12% and 34%, respectively, compared to control when the fenitrothion was applied on 8th day after parasitization. Parasitism on refrigerated eggs after a day of fenitrothion spray was higher as compared to the fresh eggs. However, parasitism on both refrigerated and fresh eggs significantly reduced when the parasitoids were provided with the fenitrothion sprayed eggs after an hour. In conclusion, there is no negative effect of fenitrothion on the parasitization by G. japonicum.

Ooencyrtus nezarae Ishii (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) is a gregarious egg parasitoid of Riptortus clavatus Thunberg (Hemiptera: Alydidae) and also attack three other stink bugs in soybean fields. In a previous study the refrigerated R. clavatus eggs were supplemented in soybean fields and found to enhance the parasitism by Gryon japonicum (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a sympatric solitary parasitoid of R. clavatus, but not by O. nezarae. Therefore, the R. clavatus eggs refrigerated for 0, 15, 30, 60 and 120 days were evaluated for the parasitization by O. nezarae in the laboratory. The number of parasitized host eggs, number of adult parasitoids emerged, immature mortality, sex ratio, development time, adult longevity, and size of the parasitoids were examined for the parasitoids exposed to or emerged from the refrigerated host eggs. All the attributes examined were not affected by the refrigeration of host eggs for up to 60 days. In addition, refrigeration did not change the reproduction capacity of the emerged adult parasitoids nor the biological attributes of their offsprings. In the evaluation of post-refrigeration period of the host eggs, O. nezarae parasitized the eggs successfully for the first 4 days after the refrigeration at 26.3ºC and 78.7% RH conditions. Since O. nezarae can parasitize the eggs of R. clavatus that were refrigerated up to 60 days, the underlying reason for the no-change in parasitism by O. nezarae in the field supplemented with refrigerated host eggs is in further investigation.