Environmental Entomology (1988) 17, 127-131

Douglas M. Kolodny-Hirsch (1988)
Influence of some environmental factors on the laboratory production of Cotesia melanoscela (Braconidae: Hymenoptera): A larval parasitoid of Lymantria dispar
Environmental Entomology 17 (1), 127-131
Abstract: Environmental factors hypothesized to affect production of the Korean strain of the parasitoid, Cotesia melanoscela Ratzeburg, from larvae of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar L., were examined to determine the optimum conditions for mass rearing. Maximum parasitoid production occurred with an exposure time of 24 h, a parasitoid : host (P:H) density of 5:50, an oviposition temperature of 28°C, use of first- and second-instar hosts, use of 8-dold ovipositing females, and with exposure of ovipositing females to a light intensity of 1,452 lux. Neither the presence of males within oviposition cups nor time of day (a.m. or p.m.) significantly influenced the number of progeny produced or their sex ratio (P = 0.05). Among those external factors examined, only age of female parasitoid significantly altered the sex ratio of progeny.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
rearing/culturing/mass production

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Lymantria dispar
Cotesia melanoscela (parasitoid)	Lymantria dispar