Habrobracon hebetor (Say, 1836)

Scaramozzino, Pier Luigi, Loni, Augusto & Lucchi, Andrea, 2017, A review of insect parasitoids associated with Lobesiabotrana (Denis & Schiffermueller, 1775) in Italy. 1. DipteraTachinidae and HymenopteraBraconidae (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), ZooKeys 647, pp. 67-100 : 78-79

Habrobracon hebetor (Say, 1836)

Habrobracon hebetor Moleas 1979, Loni et al. 2016

Habrobracon sp.: Silvestri 1912, Boselli 1928, Stellwaag 1928

Habrobracon brevicornis Wesmael: Goidanich 1934

Microbracon brevicornis Wesm.: Thompson 1946

Bracon sl.: Scaramozzino et al. (in press)

Italian distribution of reared parasitoids.

Campania: Silvestri 1912

Tuscany: Loni et al. 2016, Scaramozzino et al. (in press)

Sicily: Silvestri 1912 (from larvae of Ephestia elutella )

South Italy: Moleas 1979

Distribution.

Cosmopolitan.

Taxonomic notes.

In the past, the taxonomic position of Habrobracon hebetor was not well defined; it has a large number of synonyms because of the wide distribution, the broad host range and the morphological variability, so that it was attributed to the genera Bracon , Habrobracon and Microbracon ( Loni et al. 2016). It was considered for long time separated from his junior synonym Bracon brevicornis (Wesmael, 1838) (see e.g.: Marsh 1979, Fauna Europaea) on the basis of various morphological characteristics.

Host range.

Highly polyphagous, it is known to attack various species of pyralid moths feeding on stored products, as well as other Lepidopterous pests on several cultivated plants ( Yu et al. 2012). It is an idiobiont ectophagous and gregarious parasitoid of Lepidopteran larvae. In Loni et al. (2016) a list of records of Habrobracon hebetor found on EGVM is provided. Goidanich (1934), reviewing the specimens obtained from larvae of Lobesia botrana and Ephestia elutella by Silvestri, assigns them to Habrobracon brevicornis . In 2014 Loni et al. (2016) obtained two females of this species from a larva of Lobesia botrana feeding on Daphne gnidium . Under the name Habrobracon brevicornis it was known as a major parasitoid of the European Corn Borer Ostrinia nubilalis ( Hübner, 1796) ( Lepidoptera , Pyralidae ), and, with the aim of controlling this pest, it was introduced and released in different locations in North America ( Goidanich 1931, Marsh 1979, Yu et al. 2012).