Parasite Production in Nurse Plots after Inoculative Release of Pediobius foveolatus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) against Mexican Bean Beetle Larvae (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)1

In a field experiment in Maryland during 1981, 60 nurse plots of mixed snap beans and soybeans were used to measure reproductive perfonnance of Pediobius foveolatus (Crawford) adults released against larvae of the Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant. Four to five different parasite-host release ratios were used at each of four different host densities. Average parasite reproduction decreased as release ratio increased, but did not increase as host density increased. The results suggest adult parasite interference with reproduction but little functional response to host density.