Range Reductions in Native Butterfly, (Pieris napi): Host Plant Effect or Result of Shared Parasitoid Introduced for Biological Control?

罗伊货车Driesche马萨诸塞州大学DEB-9806599“范围减少本地蝴蝶，. " 本地蝴蝶的保护计划通常集中在栖息地的丧失作为分布变化的主要驱动力。 也有可能是为了生物控制其他物种而引入的拟寄生物减少了本地蝴蝶的数量。 这项建议调查背后的本地蝴蝶范围减少的原因，并专门测试有关宿主植物减少和/或引入寄生虫的替代假设。 它将调查马萨诸塞州的一种本地粉蝶。以及一百多年前入侵的相关物种。 这两种蝴蝶都可能受到一种茧蜂的影响，这种茧蜂与非本地蝴蝶一起入侵，但也被释放作为生物控制剂。 这项工作可以提供洞察昆虫群落中的共享寄生蜂的生态学和一些生物防治工作的后果的基本问题。

Roy Van Driesche University of Massachusetts DEB-9806599 "Range Reductions in Native Butterfly, ..." Conservation plans for native butterflies have usually focused on habitat loss as the primary driver of changes in distribution. It is also possible that native butterflies can be reduced in their population by parasitoids that have been introduced for biological control of other species. This proposal investigates the reasons behind range reductions for a native butterfly and specifically tests alternative hypotheses concerning host plant reductions and/or an introduced parasite. It would investigate a native pierid butterfly in Mass. as well as a related species that invaded more than one hundred years ago. Both butterflies may be influenced by a braconid wasp that invaded with the non-native butterfly but which has also been released as a biological control agent. This work can provide insights into basic questions on the ecology of shared parasitoids in insect communities and some of the consequences of biological control efforts.