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The biology and morphometrics of Meteorus spilosomae Narendran and Rema (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a solitary larval endoparasitoid of Bihar hairy caterpillar, Spilosoma obliqua Walker (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) were studied under laboratory conditions. The life cycle comprised of egg, three larval instars, pupa and an adult stage. The average duration of the life cycle was 33.73 days at 19 ± 1°C, 70-75% RH; 23.73 days at 24 ± 1°C, 75-90% RH and 20.21 days at 29 ± 1°C, 70-85% RH. Males are polygamous and females are monandrous. M. spilosomae is an arrhenotokous species. The total number of eggs laid ranged from 153 to 270, with an average of 213 ± 53.42. Sex ratio is female-biased, and male to female sex ratio was 1: 1.22 at 19 ± 1°C, 1: 1.24 at 24 ± 1°C and 1: 1.38 at 29 ± 1°C. The average number of female progeny was higher than males from the 1st to 7th day at 29 ± 1°C. On the 8th day, only female progeny emerged. Among the various food evaluated, the average longevity of mated males and females was highest when fed on 50% sucrose (19.6 and 29.7 days, respectively), while with no food the longevity was 1.8 and 2.2 days, respectively.

Keywords

Bihar Hairy Caterpillar, Meteorus spilosomae, Mulberry, Parasitoid and Spilosoma obliqua.

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References

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New Record of Parasitoids of Mulberry Leaf-Roller Diaphania pulverulentalis (Hampson) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Karnataka

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Authors

M. Geetha Bai ¹, B. Marimadaiah ¹

Affiliations
1 Entomology Unit, Karnataka State Sericulture Research and Development Institute, Bangalore, 560 062, Karnataka, IN

Source

Journal of Biological Control, Vol 19, No 2 (2005), Pagination: 183-186

Abstract

Apanteles recusans (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Pristomerus secundus (Morley) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were recorded for the first time from leaf-roller of mulberry Diaphania pulverulentalis, a serious pest of mulberry, Morus alba L. A. recusans, a solitary, larval endo-parasitoid of D. pulverulentalis was one of the most common parasitoids of leaf-roller. The parasitoid occurred during rainy and winter seasons. The occurrence of A. recusans in different areas of Bangalore district and some aspects of morphology of its cocoon and adult, host stage attacked and life cycle are presented. The parasitism ranged from 0.5 to 62.5 per cent in different areas. P. secundus, a solitary, larval endo-parasitoid also occurred during rainy and winter seasons. The occurrence of P. secundus in different areas of Bangalore district and some aspects of morphology of its cocoon and adult parasitoids are presented. The mean parasitism of leaf-roller caterpillars by P. secundus ranged from 0.93 to 29.41 per cent in different areas.

Keywords

Apanteles recusans, Diaphania pulverulentalis, Leaf-Roller, Parasitoid, Pristomerus secundus.

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