TEMPORAL ORGANIZATION OF LOCOMOTOR-ACTIVI TY IN TRICHOGRAMMA SPECIES (HYM TRICHOGRAMMATIDAE) - VARIABILITY AND RELATION TO EFFICIENCY OF PARASITISM

Daily variations of locomotor activity of different strains of Trichog ramma have been recorded using automatic video equipment. A clear acti vity rhythm is described with differences between species, strains, an d sexes in the same strain. Relationships between the activity and som e aspects of the efficiency of parasitism are also discussed : a posit ive correlation exists between the number of parasitized eggs by a fem ale, on the day of emergence, and the daily amount of activity without hosts on the following days. Moreover, the prior presence of the host s influences the hour of peak activity.