Host-age-dependent parasitism and reproductive success of Apanteles stantoni (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval parasitoid of Diaphania indica (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
2017
Soumya, K. | Ganga Visalakshy, P. N. | Krishnamoorthy, A. | Kavitha, S. J. | Gopalakrishna Pillai, K.
The relative suitability of five instars of Diaphania indica (Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as a substrate for the development of a larval parasitoid, Apanteles stantoni Ashmead (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), was investigated. Maximum parasitism (22.25 ± 1.21%) under laboratory conditions was observed in the early larval instars. The highest parasitoid emergence was recorded from the second (86.07 ± 0.70%) and third (98.93 ± 0.72%) instar larvae of D. indica , and that from the first larvae was 71.43 ± 1.18%. The number of cocoons in each cluster, length and width of single cocoons, percentage emergence, sex ratio and adult longevity of A. stantoni collected from different instars of D. indica were also recorded. These results indicated that the life stage of the host when the parasitoid larvae complete their final instar is particularly important for their development. Therefore, considering the efficiency of parasitism and reproduction, the second-instar larvae of D. indica is the most suitable stage for mass rearing A. stantoni in the laboratory.
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