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Title: THE BIOLOGY OF THE PARASITOID LAELIUS PEDATUS (SAY) (HYMENOPTERA: BETHY- LIDAE), AND ITS POTENTIAL FOR THE BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF TROGODERMA GRANARIUM EVERTS AND TROGODERMA ANGUSTUM (SOLIER) (COLEOPTERA:DERMESTIDAE)

Author
item AL-KIRSHI, A - BERLIN, GERMANY
item BOCHOW, H - BERLIN, GERMANY
item Burkholder, Wendell
item REICHMUTH, CH - BERLIN, GERMANY

Submitted to: Entomology International Congress Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/7/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Laboratory studies were conducted to assess the potential of the ectoparasitic wasp Laelius pedatus for controlling Trogoderma granarium and Trogoderma angustum. The female wasp paralyzes the host larvae and deposit its eggs. The total number of eggs laid, and the larvae paralyzed, were significantly lower on T. granarium. One female wasp was able to paralyze an average 50 larvae of T. granarium and 150 larvae of T. angustum. All paralyzed larvae of T. angustum died after 14 days, but 40% of the paralyzed larvae of T. granarium recovered after 4 to 5 weeks and continued their development to adults. The number of host larvae killed by paralysis was higher than the number killed by parasitisation. An average of 52 eggs was deposited on T. angustum by a single female of L. pedatus. Female wasps reproduced sexually or by arrhenotoky. A mated female was able to deposit fertilized eggs for a maximum period of 14 days after copulation with a hatching rate of 75 - 83%. The sex ratio of the progeny of mated females was 2:1 (female:male). Eggs of unmated females developed to males only. Wasps developed in 31-37 days at 28 degrees C. Honey as food extended adult life of males and females to 4 and 7 weeks, respectively. At the parasitoid host ratio of 1:25, L. pedatus reduced the population of T. granarium by 73.5% within 6 weeks.