Biological Relationships Between Cardiochiles nigriceps and the Heliothis Complex1

Abstract
It was found that Cardiochiles nigriceps Vierick attacked the larvae of both Heliothis zea (Boddie) and H. virescens (F.) in the field and in the laboratory, but eggs developed only in H. virescens. These results indicate that the parasite is host specific to H. virescens. The parasite attacked first through fifth instars of H. virescens larvae on field tobacco. The rate of the parasite egg and larval development was the same in each of these 5 instars. In all cases observed, unmated female parasites produced male offspring, indicating that this species exhibits facultative parthenogenesis.

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