Athrycia cinerea
(Coquillett, 1895)
Athrycia cinerea is a tachinid fly native to North America, primarily associated with the bertha armyworm (Mamestra configurata) in Canadian rapeseed fields. Females oviposit on third through sixth instar larvae, with larvae typically developing gregariously and maturing on fifth and sixth instars. The exhibits temperature-dependent pupal , which is usually prevented at 25°C but occurs at 20°C.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Athrycia cinerea: //æˈθɹɪʃiə sɪˈnɪəriə//
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Habitat
Rapeseed (canola) agricultural fields in the Prairie Provinces of Canada; has been reared from temporary artificial on rapeseed at Glenlea, Manitoba.
Distribution
Canada (Prairie Provinces, specifically Manitoba), United States, Mexico.
Seasonality
synchronized after at least 24 weeks at 2°C to terminate pupal ; .
Host Associations
- Mamestra configurata - primary Bertha armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae); primary in rapeseed fields of the Prairie Provinces
- Mythimna unipuncta - (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
- Spodoptera frugiperda - Fall armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
- Dargida diffusa - (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Life Cycle
; females oviposit on third, fourth, fifth, and sixth instar ; larvae usually develop gregariously and mature on fifth and sixth instars. Pupal is temperature-dependent: usually prevented at 25°C but occurs at 20°C. Mature larvae are more sensitive to temperature effects than younger larvae. Diapause termination requires at least 24 weeks at 2°C to synchronize .
Behavior
Gregarious larval development on larvae. occurs, with larvae starving; surviving larvae develop more rapidly but form smaller pupae with reduced survival capacity and slightly lower proportion of female . Frequently killed when competing with larvae of Banchus flavescens, another common of bertha armyworm.
Ecological Role
Primary of bertha armyworm, an agricultural pest of rapeseed; agent. Subject to competition within the parasitoid and hyperparasitism by Phygadeuon subfuscus (Ichneumonidae).
Human Relevance
agent for pests in rapeseed/canola agriculture.
Similar Taxa
- Banchus flavescensAlso a of bertha armyworm; A. cinerea larvae are often killed when competing with B. flavescens larvae, suggesting B. flavescens is competitively superior
- Phygadeuon subfuscusHyperparasitoid that kills a small percentage of A. cinerea pupae
Sources and further reading
- BugGuide
- Wikipedia
- GBIF taxonomy match
- NCBI Taxonomy
- Catalogue of Life
- The Mechanism Matters: How Leaf Removal Kills a Common Grape Pest
- Bug Eric: Spider Sunday: Starbellied Orbweaver
- PREVENTING AND TERMINATING PUPAL DIAPAUSE INATHRYCIA CINEREA(DIPTERA: TACHINIDAE)
- OBSERVATIONS ON ATHRYCIA CINEREA (DIPTERA: TACHINIDAE), A PARASITE OF MAMESTRA CONFIGURATA (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)
- HOSTS OF BANCHUS FLAVESCENS (HYMENOPTERA: ICHNEUMONIDAE) AND ATHRYCIA CINEREA (DIPTERA: TACHINIDAE) IN MANITOBA
- DESCRIPTIONS OF THE IMMATURE STAGES AND ADULT REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEMS OF ATHRYCIA CINEREA (COQ.) (DIPTERA: TACHINIDAE), A NATIVE PARASITOID OF MAMESTRA CONFIGURATA (WALK.) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)