The diversity and abundance of potential hymenopteran parasitoids assemblage associated with metisa plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) in three infested oil palm plantations in Peninsular Malaysia

Palm oil contributed approximately 73% of the total agriculture land in Malaysia. Metisa plana (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) is an important defoliator which recognized as a significant pest of oil palm plantation not only in this country, but in Southeast Asia. This study was done to determine the diversity and abundance of hymenopteran parasitoids assemblage at three infested oil palm plantations with bagworms, Metisa plana namely Felda Gunung Besout 1, Sungkai Perak, Tapah, Perak and Yong Peng, Johor. An additional locality with zero infestation of M. plana as a control was added. All the parasitoids species were collected for three months per locality using malaise trap. In total 742 individuals of parasitoids belonged to 21 species were successfully sampled. In this study, there is a significant difference between Sungkai (highly infested) and Felda Kertih (non-infested) on the diversity and abundance of parasitoids assemblage presence at oil palm plantations. In contrast, the composition (%) on sex determination of parasitoids assemblage showed no difference between male and female parasitoids. This result can be related to the potential of this hymenopteran parasitoids group as natural enemy in maintaining the stability of oil palm in Malaysia.