INTERACTIONS BETWEEN SOLENOPSIS-INVICTA (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE), RHOPALOSIPHUM-MAIDIS (HOMOPTERA, APHIDIDAE), AND THE PARASITOID LYSIPHLEBUS-TESTACEIPES CRESSON (HYMENOPTERA, APHIDIIDAE)

In the presence of the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, adult emergence of the parasitoid Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson from laboratory colonies of the corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch), was reduced. Parasitoids abandoned an attack when ants were within a few millimeters and searched elsewhere, increasing search time. However, the increased searching time in the laboratory was compensated by a reduction in parasitoids' resting time resulting in similar levels of parasitism between the controls and the ant-infested containers. A major effect of the red imported fire ant was the removal and destruction of parasitized aphids. Ants began detecting parasitized aphids 6 d after parasitization and removed them to the ant colony. Honeydew production was reduced in parasitized aphids by 6 d and they resembled starved aphids. However, in contrast to parasitized aphids, starved aphids were moved to healthy plants, when available.