Seasonal Occurrence of Voria ruralis a Parasite of the Cabbage Looper, in Arizona, and Its Behavior and Development in Laboratory Culture1

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Abstract
Periodic collections of several species of lepidopterous larvae were made for 27 months from cultivated crops and weeds near Mesa, Arizona, to determine the incidence and extent of parasitism by a tachnid fly, Voria ruralis (Fallén). The parasite was recovered only from the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), and seemed to parasitize that insect throughout the year. Adult V. Turalis mated readily in cages and oviposited all laboratory-reared cabbage looper larvae reared on a semisynthetic diet. At a laboratory temperature of about 24 and variable relative humidity, 26 days were required to complete the life cycle. In 2 experiments the maximum number of progeny from I female was 396 but the average from 4 pairs was 169 per female. When V. ruralis eggs were deposited they contained maggots that were nearly ready to hatch. The newly hatched larvae bored almost immediately into the body cavity tothe host. About 3 days later the maggots cut openings in the host’s dorsal abdominal region and attached themselves with their spiracles in these openings, and remained there until their development was complete.

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