Parasitoids of Heliothis spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae in Mississippi Associated with Sesame Interplantings in Cotton, 1971–1974: Implications of Host-Habitat Interaction

The parasitoids of the cotton bollworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), and tobacco budworm, H. vircscens (F.), larvae collected from cotton and interplanted sesame were determined from 1971 through 1974 in the Mississippi delta. Greater numbers of Heliothis larvae (especially H. virescens ) were found on sesame than on cotton and were more often parasitized. Apanteles marginivenrris (Cresson) and Campoletis sonorensis (Cameron) were the most abundant parasitoid species reared from Heliothis larvae on cotton (41.7%) and sesame (54.8%), respectively. Although A. marginiventris frequently attacked larvae on both crops, only one C. sonorensis was recovered from Heliothis larvae infesting cotton during the entire study.