The parasitoid complex attacking Finnish populations of the Glanville fritillaryMelitaea cinxia(Lep: Nymphalidae), and endangered butterfly

Ten species of parasitoids were found in association with a large metapopulation of the Glanville fritillary Melitaea cinxia (L.) in a fragmented landscape in SW Finland. Two primary larval parasitoids, Cotesia melitaearum (Wilkinson) (Braconidae: Microgastrinae) and Hyposoter horticola (Gravenhorst) (Ichneumonidae: Campopleginae) are considered to be specialists on M. cinxia in our study area (have no other host locally). These two primary parasitoids were recorded to be attacked by three generalist (presumed to have other hosts locally) hyperparasitoids: Gelis agilis (Fabricius) (Ichneumonidae: Cryptinae), G. acarorum (L.), G. ruficornis (Retzius) and one possibly specialist hyperparasitoid: Mesochorus sp. cf. stigmaticus Brischke (Ichneumonidae: Mesochorinae). Pupae were attacked by four generalist parasitoids: Ichneumon gracilicornis Gravenhorst (Icheumonidae: Ichneumoninae), Pteromalus apum (Retzius) (Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae), P. puparum (L.), Coelopisthia caledonica Askew (Pteromalidae: Pteromalinae). We present quantitative results on the lifespan of the parasitoids under different environmental conditions. Cotesia melitaearum females have a longer lifespan than males if they are not allowed to parasitize host caterpillars.