Adult female exposure to mild ultraviolet radiation reduces longevity but not egg load in two parasitoid wasps. Issue 11 (14th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gaudreau, Mathilde; Brodeur, Jacques; Abram, Paul K.
• Is Part Of: Entomologia experimentalis et applicata. Volume 170:Issue 11(2022)
• Page Start: 965
• Page End: 972
• Publication Date: 2022-09-14
• Subjects: beneficial insects -- fecundity -- fitness -- photod -- irradiance -- light environment -- oogenesis -- Scelionidae -- Telenomus podisi -- Trissolcus utahensis -- UV‐A -- Trissolcus utahensis -- photodamage; Entomology -- Periodicals; 595.7
• DOI: 10.1111/eea.13225
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0013-8703

Abstract

Abstract: Insects can be exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation throughout their lifecycle when they rest, forage, and mate. The negative effects that such highly energetic photons can have on insect fitness are not well‐known, especially for natural exposure during the adult stage. Adult insects are considered to be more resistant to UV radiation than their immature stages, but this assumption is supported by only a few studies on a restricted set of pest species. We conducted the first investigation of the vulnerability of parasitoid adults to UV exposure, by assessing the longevity and potential fecundity of female Telenomus podisi Ashmead and Trissolcus utahensis Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) receiving low doses of UV‐A and visible radiation daily in the laboratory. Parasitoids died up to 2× faster with increasing levels of UV radiation, and, to a lesser extent, of visible radiation. There was no effect of UV radiation on maximum egg load resulting from oogenesis in early adulthood. This study on beneficial insects indicates that the physiological consequences of cumulative exposure to even mild doses of more energetic optical radiation, particularly in the UV range, should not be underestimated in natural and managed ecosystems. Abstract : Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can have detrimental effects on insect fitness, but consequences of realistic exposure during the adult stage are poorly known, especially for beneficial species. In the laboratory, we evaluated how long‐term UV‐A exposure affects the longevity and fecundity of two stink bug egg parasitoids, Telenomus podisi and Trissolcus utahensis (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), showing that mild daily UV doses can greatly reduce female lifespan with respect to the intensity of exposure (irradiance), whereas oogenesis remains unaffected.