This research aimed to determine the functional response of parasitoid Aphidius colemani Viereck, by determining the number of mummies of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) formed and its sexual ratio at densities of 20, 40, 60 and 80 2nd - and 3rd - instar nymphs on sweet-pepper leaves, at temperature of 21±1ºC. The functional response was also evaluated by calculating the number of attacks of the parasitoid on the host and its search behaviour on leaf discs of sweet-pepper leaves (43mm) in a Petri dish (50mm). The temperature of 23±1ºC and the densities of zero, four, eight, 16 and 32 nymphs of M. persicae were used. A. colemani's functional response was of type II, not only for number of mummies formed (12.4; 22.7; 33.0 and 31.6) but also for number of attacks (0; 4.1; 6.8; 13.2; and 19.2), with a gradual increase in the number of host density and reaching a plateau. The average sexual ratio was 0.57 and showed no significant influence in host density (P<0.05). The number of contacts made by parasitoid's antennae onto their hosts (encounters) increased gradually with higher host densities, with an abrupt increase in the highest density (32 hosts), indicating an increase in searching behaviour of the parasitoid. The time of the first visit of A. colemani has not varied with the host density. In the presence of hosts it lasted from 1526.9 to 1638.0 seconds; in the absence of host, the parasitoid stayed on the leaf disc for a short time (340.1 seconds).
Insecta; biological control; functional response; searching behavior
