Interspecific competition between Metagonystilum minense (Diptera: Tachinidae) and Cotesia flavipes (Hymenotera: Braconidae) parasitoids of sugarcane borers (Diatraea spp., Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

We evaluated the effect of interspecific competition between M. minense and C. flavipes larvae on survival in both species and on the growth of M. minense. Interspecific competition was evaluated by the inoculation of M. minense larvae (1 or 2 per host larvae: D. sacharalis) 1 to 5 days before or 3 to 8 days after the inoculation of C. flavipes eggs (one inoculation = 45 - 50 eggs). Ail experiments were done with ten replicas. We found ct significant effect of interspecific competition on larval and pupal survival in both parasitoids and body weight in M. minense. M. minense dominated over C. flavipes, except when M. minense was inoculated 5 or more days after C. flavipes.