Orgilus

Haliday, 1833

Orgilus is a of in the with nearly distribution. within this genus are internal parasitoids of lepidopteran , with documented including and pests. Several species have been studied as agents for agricultural pests.

Orgilus by (c) Secretaria de Agricultura e Abastecimento Agriculturasp, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Orgilus strigosus by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.Orgilus macrurus by the Smithsonian. Used under a CC0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Orgilus: /ˈɔrɡɪləs/

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Habitat

Associated with of lepidopteran ; agricultural systems where host pests occur, including potato fields and pine forests.

Distribution

Near distribution; recorded from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and the United States (Vermont).

Diet

Internal nutrition derived from ; develops within living lepidopteran hosts.

Host Associations

  • Phthorimaea operculella - ()
  • Elasmopalpus lignosellus - lesser cornstalk borer ()
  • Rhyacionia buoliana - European pine shoot (Olethreutidae)
  • Nothris verbascella -

Life Cycle

Development occurs internally within ; parasitized hosts initially gain weight similarly to unparasitized larvae but eventually attain smaller maximum size before declining. larvae increase in weight during second to fourth , eventually comprising up to 80% of combined host- weight. Host appears unaffected, though parasitized larvae remain in state and do not develop reproductive organs.

Behavior

Females use for location, including volatile compounds (heptanoic acid identified in ) that elicit searching and contact chemicals that stimulate probing. Host discrimination allows females to distinguish between parasitized and unparasitized hosts, and between hosts containing versus heterospecific , reducing and multiparasitism. Parasitized hosts maintain feeding and activity for approximately one week longer than unparasitized hosts.

Ecological Role

Internal of lepidopteran ; agent of agricultural and forestry pests. interactions include competition and discrimination with other parasitoids such as Hyssopus thymus and Temelucha interruptor.

Human Relevance

Used in programs for pest ; susceptible to broad-spectrum including , , and , which are generally more toxic to the than to its .

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Sources and further reading