First observations on the parasitoids associated with lepidopterous pests of cotton in Burkina fasoPremières observations sur les parasitoïdes associés aux lépidoptères déprédateurs de la culture cotonnière au Burkina Faso

A study was conducted in Burkina Faso from 1991 to 1994 on the parasitoids associated with the following lepidopterous pests of cotton:Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner),Earias spp.,Diparopsis watersi (Rothschild),Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval),Syllepte derogata (F.) andAnomis flava (F.). Thirty-nine primary parasitoid species and ten secondary parasitoid species were collected. The mean annual parasitism rates were lower than 20%, except forS. derogata pupae (42.9%). Maximum weekly parasitism rates could be high, with 61.5% recorded forS. derogata pupae and 32.9% forH. armigera larvae. The highest parasitism rates were found forMeteorus laphygmarum Brues (Braconidae) onH. armigera, Xanthopimpla aliena Krieger (Ichneumonidae),Brachymeria olethria (Waterston) andB. citrea (Steffan) (Chalcididae) onS. derogata, Aleiodes dedivus (Szépligeti),Dolichogenidea sp. (Braconidae) andBrachymeria feae Masi onEarias spp., an unidentified Tachinidae onA. flava andMetopius discolor Tosquinet (Ichneumonidae) onS. littoralis. Secondary parasitoids are mainly associated withApanteles spp. (Braconidae) which parasitizeS. derogata larvae. Some species of these secondary parasitoids such asNesolynx phaeosoma (Waterston),Pedobius amaurocoelus (Waterston) (Eulophidae) andAphanogmus fijiensis (Ferrière) (Ceraphronidae) may also attack certain Braconidae or Chalcididae that are primary parasitoids of other lepidopterous pests.