Ontogeny, population dynamics, and functional response of the brachypterous parasitoid Anastatus meilingensis on the factitious host Antheraea pernyi

BACKGROUND: Anastatus meilingensis (Hymenoptera: Eupelmidae) is a brachypterous egg parasitoid of various lepidopteran and hemipteran pests. To support a cost-effective method for rearing A. meilingensis, we systematically studied its ontogeny, reproductive attributes, population projection, egg maturation pattern, functional response, and mutual interference when reared on a suitable factitious host egg of Chinese oak silkworm (COS), Antheraea pernyi (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). RESULTS: Using a two-sex life table and laboratory bioassays, we found that A. meilingensis completed development from egg to adult in 23.70 days at 25 °C, with a female-biased sex ratio (76.85%). Females exhibited high fecundity (203.88 offspring over 24.55 oviposition days), a high intrinsic rate of increase (r = 0.1514 d−1), a high transformation rate (Qp = 1.00) and a short pre-oviposition period (1.56 days). Ovary dissections confirmed its strict synovigenic nature, with most eggs maturing post-emergence and an 81.1% egg regeneration index. The parasitoid exhibited a type II functional response to host density and showed significant mutual interference at higher female densities, although female progeny ratio remained stable. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the high reproductive potential and biological control capacity of A. meilingensis on COS eggs. To optimize field application, adults should be fed post-emergence to enable egg maturation, and female overcrowding should be avoided to minimize interference. This study supports the development of efficient rearing protocols and provides a foundation for the use of A. meilingensis in augmentative biological control programs. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.