The efficacy of two native pupal parasitoids on Zaprionus indianus gupta (Diptera: Drosophilidae) at different temperatures

Zaprionus indianus (Gupta) (Diptera: Drosophilidae), also known as the African fig fly, is a fruit fly capable of breeding in the fruits of more than 70 plant species. It is a polyphagous species. Zaprionus indianus is a potential danger for farmers and the regional economy. The invasive species Z. indianus was first found in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey in 2017-2018. It was determined on persimmon, blackberry, fig, cherry, mulberry, peach, and plum. This study evaluated two native pupal parasitoids, Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Trichopria drosophilae Perkins (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) on Z. indianus, under different temperature conditions (21°C, 24°C, 27°C, and 30°C). The findings reveal that the temperature significantly affects the parasitism rates and range control capacity of both parasitoids. The highest parasitism rates were recorded for P. vindemiae at 21°C (27.75%) and 30 °C'de (30,00%) and for T. drosophilae at 24°C and 27°C (23.50%). This study showed the potential of different temperatures for native parasitoids as biocontrol agents for Z. indianus.