Studies on populations of
Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), its parasites and hyperparasites were carried out by actual counting in the sprouts field and by sticky and water traps.
B. brassicae was found to be attacked by one primary parasite,
Diaretiella rapae (
McIntosh), which in turn is parasitized by
Alloxysta brassicae (
Ashm.),
Asaphes vulgaris
Walker,
A. suspensus (
Nees),
Pachyneuron minutissimum (
Förster) and
Dendrocerus carpenterii (
Curtis). The aphid population in the field was started by immigrant alates which were found flying too early to be synchronized
with the sprouts plants. Similarly
D. rapae was not synchronized with the aphids although many individuals could have been carried into a plot through parasitized immigrant
alates, of which less than 30% were found parasitized. Because of high hyperparasitism (especially by
A. brassicae)
D. rapae was not able to maintain a high rate of parasitism to curb the aphid population growth. The maximum percentage mummies being
27.8%, while the maximum, percentage parasitism being 56.6% recorded only during the early 1974 season (mean=12.9%). The decline
of aphid population from September onwards was largely due to the cold weather, Syrphid predation and occasionally fungal
attack. The high rate of hyperparasitism by
A. brassicae is attributed to its better synchronization with
D. rapae. The mean percentage of parasite that emerged from mummies collected during 1973–74 were
D. rapae 31.3%,
A. brassicae 64.3%,
A. vulgaris and
A. suspensus 4.3%,
D. carpenterii 0.2% and
P. minutissimum 0.1%.