Podisus-maculiventris

Guides

• Telenomus calvus

  Telenomus calvus is a phoretic egg parasitoid of the spined soldier bug, Podisus maculiventris. Females exhibit a distinctive riding behavior, attaching to host bodies at 25 different locations with preference for the pronotum and femurs, using hypertrophied arolia for secure attachment. They dismount specifically during host oviposition to parasitize egg masses. The species has a relatively low fecundity of approximately 22 progeny per female, with female production peaking early in life and declining rapidly, while male production remains low and constant.

  phoresyegg-parasitoidScelionidaePentatomidaebiological-controlPodisus-maculiventrisLouisianahypertrophied-aroliahost-specific-developmentlow-fecundityarrhenotoky