Parasitoides naturales de la chinche harinosa de la papaya Paracoccus marginatus (Williams y Granara de Willink) y parasitoides naturales e importados de la chinche harinosa rosada del hibisco Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Green) en dos regiones en Puerto Ric

The objectives of this research were to collect species of mealybugs in Puerto Rico and determine the native and imported parasitoids associated to the mealybugs Maconellicoccus hirsutus and Paracoccus marginatus. One hundred thirty-eight samples of mealybugs were collected in 110 plants in 23 towns of Puerto Rico in 17 different hosts. A total of 8 species of mealybugs previously identify were found. The encapsulation method was used to determine the presence of parasitoids. A total of 6,920 mealybugs specimens were encapsulated from 20 towns of Puerto Rico. Parasitism in M. hirsutus was 29.1 percent. Anagyrus kamali and Gyranusoidea indica, parasitoids introduced in Puerto Rico for the control of M. hirsutus, contributed respectively with 21.4 and 6.0 percent parasitism. Also, there were hyperparasites collected: Cheiloneurus sp. (1.3%), Aprostocetus sp. (0.04%), Signiphora sp. (0.1%) and Hymenoptera (0.2%). Parasitism in P. marginatus was 9.3 percent. The following parasitoids were obtained: Anagyrus sp. (5.8%) and Acerophagus sp. (0.3%). The hyperparsites: Cheiloneurus sp. (2.7%) and Aprostocetus sp. (0.5%) were also collected.