Natural distribution of hymenopteran parasitoids of Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae in Mexico

A survey of parasitoids of fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith), larvae was conducted in six Mexican states during August and September 2000. Thirteen genera of hymenopteran parasitoids were recovered representing the following 3 families, Braconidae: Aleoides, Chelonus, Cotesia, Glyptapanteles, Homolobus, and Meteorus; Ichneumonidae: Campoletis, Eiphosoma, Ophion, and Pristomerus; and Eulophidae: Aprostocetus, Eaplectrus, and Horismenus. Out of 5591 FAW larvae collected, 772 produced parasitoids, for a parasitism rate of 13.8%. The highest rate of parasitism from a single collection was 42.2%, representing three species of parasitoids in Michoacan. Chelonus insularis Cresson was the most widely distributed species occurring in 45.3% of the locations. Pristomerus spinator (F.), and Meteorus laphygmae (Viereck), exhibited the highest rates of parasitism for a single collection with 22.2% and 22.1%, in Sinaloa, and Michoacan, respectively. The results supported the hypothesis that natural distribution and rates of parasitism of FAW larvae may be related to more diverse habitats with more forests, orchards, and pastures near to cornfields.