PARASITISM OF SORGHUM SHOOT FLY LARVAE, ATHERIGONA-SOCCATA RONDANI (DIPTERA, MUSCIDAE) BY NEOTRICHOPOROIDES-NYEMITAWUS ROHWER (HYMENOPTERA,EULOPHIDAE)

Larval parasitism of the sorghum shoot fly, Atherigona soccata Rondani (Diptera: Muscidae), by Neotrichoporoides nyemitawus Rohwer (Hymenopt era: Eulophidae) was studied in the laboratory. Ten shoot fly larvae o f each instar (3) and two periods of exposure (24,48 h) were used in a factorial design with four replicates. Significant differences of par asitism were observed with respect to instars, periods of exposure, an d the interaction instar-period of exposure. The second larval instar was most parasitized (68.75 and 85% of parasitism after 24 and 48 h, r espectively), followed by the first instar (46.25% of parasitism) expo sed for 48 h to adult parasitoids. N. nyemitawus was an effective shoo t fly endo-larval parasitoid. Observations on N. nyemitawus searching sorghum seedlings for shoot fly larvae are summarized.