Biological aspects of the ectoparasitoid, Dibrachys cavus (WALKER) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) on some lepidopterous host species [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

Dibrachys cavus (Walker) was found as an ectoparasitoid on Pectinophora gossypiella diapaused larvae collected from dried cotton bolls during March, 2002 from EI-Ebrahernia region, Sharkia Governorate. In the present work some biological aspects of D. cavus were studied under controlled conditions (25±1"C and 70-75% R.H) using different ages and stages of three lepidopterious host species, i.e., Pectinophora gossypiella, Earias insulana and Galleria mellonella. The parasitoid was able to parasitize all ages and stages of the three hosts but successfully completed development on fullgrown larvae of pink bollworm and first day of spinning cocoon of E. insulana and G. mellonella. Immature stages of D. cavus lasted 15.80, 17.37 and 15.87 days on P. gossypiella, E. insulana and G. mellonella, respectively. The parasitoid laid the highest numbers of eggs (197.3/~) on wax moth. The longevity of parasitoid females was 17.03, 18.25 and 20.46 days on the three hosts, respectirely. Sex ratio of progeny differed also according to the host.

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