FACTORS INFLUENCING THE DEVELOPMENTAL RATES AND REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIALS OF TELENOMUS BUSSEOLAE (GAHAN) [HYM, SCELIONIDAE], AN EGG PARASITOID OF SESAMIA CALAMISTIS HAMPSON (LEP, NOCTUIDAE)

The effect of seven constant temperatures on the development of Teleno mus busseolae was determined, using Sesamia calamistis eggs as the hos t. The developmental threshold calculated was 13.7 degrees C, the opti mum temperature was 31 degrees C, and the maximum temperature at which no parasitoid emergence occurred was 34 degrees C. Female I: busseola e began ovipositing immediately after emergence. They produced more of fspring during the first 24 h of adult life than during any subsequent period. At 20 degrees C, adult females lived twice as long as those a t 30 degrees C (21.7 and 11.0 days, respectively). Total progeny of T. busseolae was significantly highest at 27 degrees C. Mean fecundity r anged from 61 to 182 offspring per female. The effect of host age and host deprivation on the host parasitism rate, egg viability, and sex r atio of II busseolae was also investigated. Only parasitism and emerge nce rates were affected by host age. The numbers of total progeny were the same between 0 and 10 days of host deprivation, whereas longevity tended to increase from 12.8 to 23.4 days from 0 to 14 days of withho lding hosts. The percentage parasitoid emergence and the sex ratio wer e not affected by withholding hosts, I: busseolae is adapted to an eco system with strong environmental fluctuations that cause temporary sca rcity of hosts and food. (C) 1997 Academic Press