Life-Table Studies of the Egg Parasitoid, Psix striaticeps (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) on the Silkworm Predator Canthecona furcellata (Pentatomidae, Heteroptera)

A life-table was constructed under laboratory conditions for a little known Scelionid egg parasitoid Psix striaticeps Dodd on Canthecona furcellata Wolff. The female parasitoid survived for 12 days and oviposited intensively for 3.5 days. The net reproductive rate (R_o) representing the total births was 38.30. The population increased with an infinitesimal rate [r_m] of 0.275 and finite rate of 1.32 per female per day. A generation was completed in 13.25 days. Life-table analysis indicated the preponderance of females due to solitary parasitism and a balanced sex ratio due to superparasitism.