SUITABILITY OF BUSSEOLA-FUSCA AND SESAMIA-CALAMISTIS (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE) FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF 2 POPULATIONS OF COTESIA-SESAMIAE (HYMENOPTERA, BRACONIDAE) IN KENYA

The suitability of Sesamia calamistis Hampson and Busseola fusca (Full er) for the development of two geographical populations of Cotesia ses amiae (Cameron) was examined in the laboratory. One population of the parasitoid was collected from the coast of Kenya and the other from th e inland. Both populations of the parasitoid could develop on S. calam istis. On B. fusca, the inland population of C. sesamiae was able to d evelop, while the population from the coastal area of Kenya was encaps ulated. Mating studies revealed that the two parasitoid populations we re partially reproductively isolated. Unidirectional incompatibility, possibly caused by the Wolbachia infection, was observed when males fr om the infected coastal population mere mated with females from the un infected inland population. (C) 1998 Academic Press.