Tea mosquito bug (TMB), Helopeltis antonii Signoret
(Hemiptera: Miridae), is one of the major pests of cashew
(Anacardium occidentale L.) in India, damaging tender
shoots, inflorescences, immature nuts and apples at various
stages of development, resulting in yield loss of 30-50 per
cent (Devasahayam and Nair, 1986). Typical feeding-
damage by H. antonii appears as a discoloured necrotic
area or lesion around the point of entry of the labial stylets
inside plant tissue. In severe infestation, young shoots and
panicles dry up, giving the infested trees a scorched
appearance. Successive attacks on new growth can result
in death of the tree (Stonedahl, 1991; Sundararaju, 1996).

At present, chemical control measures are
recommended for management of H. antonii on cashew
(Sundararaju, 1993). Since there is a potential restriction in
USA and EEC countries for import of cashew kernels
containing pesticide residues, developing integrated pest
management with main emphasis on non-insecticidal control
methods, viz., biological control, is required. Egg parasitoids
are potential biological control agents for Helopeltis
(Stonedahl, 1991). Telenomus sp. laricis group
(Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) and Erythmelus helopeltidis
Gahan (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae), which parasitize eggs,
are particularly promising, as are the nymphal adult
parasitoids of the genus Leiophron spp. (Hymenoptera:
Braconidae) (CIBC, 1983; Sundararaju, 1993). In India,

Short communication

Occurrence of parasitoid, Leiophron sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), on adults of
Helopeltis antonii Signoret in cashew

P.S. Bhat and K.K. Srikumar
Department of Entomology, Directorate of Cashew Research

Darbe Po., Puttur - 574 202, India
E- mail: sreeku08@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Helopeltis antonii is a major pest of cashew, cocoa, neem, guava and pepper in the old world tropics. Survey for

parasites identified a parasitoid, Leiophron sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), on adults of H. antonii. The parasitism
was low (1.3%), of which 59.4% was observed during the month of June. Size of the parasitoid larvae was 3.66 ±
0.11mm in length, and 1.31±0.03mm in breadth. Pre-pupation period was 1.75±0.22 days. Copulation was observed
between parasitized H. antonii males and females indicating, that, mating was not affected by parasitism. Parasitoid
activity showed significant positive correlation (r = 0.62; P = 0.05) with rainfall. Parasitism provided by this parasitoid
certainly warrants further investigation on biological control of this economically important pest.

Key words: Cashew, Helopeltis antonii, Tea Mosquito bug, parasitoid larvae, biological control

nymphal parasitoid and the mermithid nematode, Agamermis
paracaudata Steiner, has been reported from H. theivora
on tea (Durgadas and Sambhunath, 1956) and H. antonii
on cashew (Sundararaju, 2002). The present study aimed
to record adult parasitoids of H. antonii and their seasonality
in occurrence.

The current study was undertaken during 2010 to
2013 at Directorate of Cashew Research, Puttur, Karnataka
(Dakshina Kannada province). Random surveys were made
to record H. antonii incidence in cashew plantations. Adults
were observed for abnormal size with swollen, whitish
abdomen described in earlier reports, to record the presence
of adult parasitoids (Giesberger, 1983; Sundararaju, 1996).

To assess influence of weather parameters, data on
physical parameters, including minimum and maximum
temperature (ºC) forenoon and afternoon humidity (%),
rainfall (mm) and sunshine (hrs) recorded at the
meteorological observatory, were correlated with parasitoid
population using Spearman’s rank correlations (Siegel and
Castellan, 1988).

In the course of the investigation, several specimens
of Helopeltis antonii Sig. (Hemiptera: Miridae) parastized
by the adult parasitoid, Leiophron sp. (Hymenoptera:
Braconidae), were collected. A total of 2452 H. antonii
adults were observed in which 32 abnormal sized H. antonii

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Vol. 9(1):103-105, 2014



104

Bhat and Srikumar

(21 male and 11 female) were noticed (Fig. 1a). On
dissection, it was confirmed that these adults were parasitized
by the hymenopteran parasitoid (Fig. 1b). Sundararaju (2002)
recorded that the parasitic larvae emerging from H. antonii
died on the same day without pupating in spite of providing
different media, viz., soil, saw dust, paper and leaf bits.
However, in the current study, whitish parasitoid larvae (one

per adult) emerged from H. antonii and pupated on the
surface of the glass tubes (25 × 200mm) supported with
cotton (Fig. 1c and d).

Size of the mature parasitoid larvae (just before
pupation) was 3.66±0.11mm in length and 1.31±0.03mm in
breadth. Pre-pupation period of the parasitoid larvae was
1.75±0.22 days (Table 1). From the 15 pupae, 2 adults
emerged (Fig. 1e). The parasitoid was identified and
deposited at National Bureau of Agriculturally Important
Insects (NBAII), Bangalore, India.

Copulation was observed between parasitized H.
antonii males and females indicating, that, mating was not
affected by parasitism.  H. antonii adults died within 2 days
after emergence of the parasitoid. Further, when parasitized
females were dissected immediately after emergence of
the parasitoid larva, their ovarioles were found to be empty
without any developing oocytes. It is reported from northern
United States that heavy parasitism by Leiophron uniformis
Gahan significantly depressed populations of Halticus
bractatus (Hemiptera: Miridae) (Day and Saunders, 1990).

Activity of Leiophron sp. was seen to be greater
during May - July in a three-year study period (Fig. 2). The
highest number, i.e., 19 parasitised adults, were collected
during June. This is in concurrence with studies of
Sundararaju (2002). The population of adult parasitoid
showed significant positive correlation with rainfall (r0.63)
(Table 2).

Even though parasitism levels of 6 to 66 per cent
have been reported for Leiophron sahlbergellae
(Wilkinson) on Sahlbergella singularis  Haglund
(Heteroptera: Miridae) from West Africa (CIBC, 1983), the
present study has shown a low level of parasitism by
Leiophron sp. on H. antonii. However, in-depth studies
are needed to understand the role of the parasitoid in
regulating H. antonii population.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Our thanks are due to Dr. J. Poorani, National Bureau

of Agriculturally Important Insects, Bangalore, for
identification of the parasitoid. Financial support received
for Outreach Programme on Management of Sucking Pests
of Horticultural Crops from Indian Council for Agricultural
Research (ICAR), New Delhi, is gratefully acknowledged.
We are also indebted to the Director, Directorate of Cashew
Research, Puttur, for providing necessary facilities.

Fig 1. (a) H. antonii female of abnormal size (b) Parasitized H.
antonii adult dissected out (c) Leiophron sp. larva (d) Pupation (e)
Leiophron sp. adult

Table 1.  Various parameters of Leiophron sp.  emergent from H.
antonii

Leiophron sp. Pre-pupation Parasitized H. antonii
larvae (n- 32) period (days) adults (Nos.)

Length Breadth   Male Female
3.66 ± 0.11 1.31 ±  0.03 1.75 ± 0.22 21 11

1 to 3 (1-3 days)

Fig 2. Seasonal activity of Leiophron sp.

Table 2. Correlation coefficient (r) of adult Leiophron sp. parasitism
with reference to temperature, humidity, rainfall and sunshine
averaged over three years
Temperature (OC) Humidity (%) Rainfall Sunshine

Max. Min.  Forenoon Afternoon (mm)  (hrs)
-0.28 0.23 0.38 0.41 0.62* -0.39
*Significant at P= 0.05

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(MS Received 30 April 2013, Revised 14 November 2013, Accepted 17 January 2014)

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 9(1):103-105, 2014

Occurrence of parasitoid onTea Mosquito bug in cashew