Mass production of Ooencyrtus prob. masii (Hym.: Encyrtidae), egg parasitoid of Ocneria terebinthina (Lep.: Lymantridae)

Ocneria terebinthina is one of the most important pests of wild pistachio and occasionally pistachio. Damage has been reported up to 65% to leaves and fruits. Restriction of chemical control causes replacement of biological methods. One of themost important natural enemies of this pest is Ooencyrtus massi. Primary studies have shown an important role in controlling of the pest (up to 30%). This research has conducted to rearing of the wasp in laboratory condition on alternative hosts. All of the experiments have conducted in controlled condition (25± 2 °C, 70±5 % R.H. and 16 L:8D). Different stages of O. terebinthina were collected from nature at Khojir region. At the first stage, possibility of developing an artificial diet studied for rearing of O. terebinthina. O. terebinthina eggs and also alternative host eggs such as Bombyx mori, Galeria melonella , Sitotroga kuehniella , Lymantria dispar and Graphosoma lineatum were used to wasp rearing. Parasitism percent and some of survival parameters of the wasp on G. lineatum were studied. Results showed that O. terebinthina larvae were not able to survive on any artificial diets. O. massi did'nt show any tendency to ovipositing on Galeria melonella , Sitotroga kuehniella and Lymantria dispar eggs. Parasitism happened only on G. lineatum and B. mori eggs. Parasitism percent and biological parameters of Ooencyrtus massi were studied on daily G. lineatum eggs. Mean of larval stage on G. lineatum eggs was 15.6± 0.7 day. Female and male wasps longevity on G. lineatum eggs were 28.5 ± 4.5 and 26.6 ± 2.6, respectively. Sex ratio of wasps extracted from G. lineatum eggs was 1:1 and had no significant difference. Parasitism on G. lineatum eggs began on tenth day and the most parasitism percent was on twelfth day. Results showed that G. lineatum eggs could be used only for colony conservation of parasitoid in laboratory