Bollettino dell Istituto di Entomologia (Guido Grandi) (1998) 52, 75-84

Rosa Farneti, Maria Luisa Dindo and Paolo Fanti (1998)
In vitro rearing of Exorista sorbillans (Wiedemann) and Meigenia simplex Tschorsnig and Herting (Diptera Tachinidae): preliminary results
Bollettino dell Istituto di Entomologia (Guido Grandi) 52, 75-84
Abstract: Attempts were made to rear two tachinids, Exorista sorbillans, a gregarious larval endoparasitoid of Lepidoptera, and Meigenia simplex, a solitary larval endoparasitoid of Chrysomelidae, on host material-free artificial media. Because of the synchronised development with the host, both E. sorbillans and M. simplex appeared to be difficult to rear in vitro. The two parasitoids were cultured on two basic diets, both devoid of hormones (I and II) and supplemented with 2µg/ml 20-HE (I+ecd* and II+ecd*). E. sorbillans was also reared on the same diets (l) and (II) integrated with 4µg/ml 20-HE (I+ecd** and II+ecd**). The basic diets (I) and (II) had been previously successfully utilized for two other parasitoids, the tachinid Exorista larvarum (I) and the chalcidid Brachymeria intermedia (II). The main ingredient of the diets was (I) skimmed milk and (II) commercial veal homogenate, respectively. Both diets were integrated with chicken egg yolk and yeast extract. Diet (I) also contained saccharose. E. sorbillans reached the third larval stage (though at low percentages) in all the diets tested. Only a few larvae pupated on diets (I), (I+ecd**) and (II+ecd**). The puparium formed on diet (II+ecd**) led to the emergence of an adult, thus proving that despite its dependence on host hormonal balance, E. sorbillans may be reared from egg to adult on host material-free diets, integrated with 20-HE. M. simplex only molted to second larval instar on diets supplemented with 20-HE. A few larvae moulted to third instar on these diets and one puparium formed on diet (lI+ecd*), which, however, did not contain an adult inside.
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Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
rearing/culturing/mass production

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Exorista sorbillans (parasitoid)
Meigenia simplex (parasitoid)