Fecundity and survival of Anagyrus kamali (Hymenoptera : Encyrtidae) underdifferent feeding and storage temperature conditions

The parasitoid, Anagyrus kamali Moursi (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), has been recently introduced into the Caribbean as a biological control agent agains t the hibiscus mealybug (HMB), Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green (Homoptera: P seudococcidae). Storage of A. kamali that is essential for its use in biolo gical control did not affect the longevity of female and male parasitoids ( 40.3 +/- 14.07 and 31.7 +/- 9.57 days, respectively) when kept at 20 +/- 2 degrees C in absence of hosts and fed ad libitum with droplets of pure hone y. At a storage temperature of 27 +/- 2 degrees C the longevity decreased b y about 10 days. Fed females did not resorb eggs during the first two weeks of storage at 20 +/- 2 degrees. Parasitoid ovogenesis ceased when ovariole s/lateral oviducts were full. The lifetime fecundity was not significantly affected by a storage at 20 +/- 2 degrees C of up to 14 days. Foraging acti vities and oviposition were the main factors influencing the lifespan of fe male A. kamali.