Natural Parasitism of Spodoptera frugiperda(1) in Maize at the Comarca Lagunera, Mexico

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), is the insect pest of great economic importance because of damage to maize (Zea mays L.) worldwide. The parasitoid species of S. frugiperda and the degree of natural parasitism in maize from the Comarca Lagunera located at Coahuila and Durango, Mexico, were determined. Egg parasitism was low, 4.7% in 2020 and 2.0% in 2021, mostly because of Trichogramma spp. Larval parasitism was 20.6% in 2020 and 59.7% in 2021. Nine species of larval parasitoids identified were: Chelonus insularis (Cresson), Chelonus cautus (Cresson), Pristomerus spinator (Fabricius), Campoletis sonorensis (Cameron), Aleiodes laphygmae (Vierechk), Ophion flavidus Brulle, Euplectrus platyhypenae Howard, Lespesia archippivora (Riley), Archytas marmoratus (Townsend), and Aleiodes laphygmae. The latter is a new report for the State of Durango. These results are a contribution to knowledge of natural parasitism of fall armyworm in the Comarca Lagunera, establishing the basis for future studies of its biological control.