A new record of Ooencyrtus papilionis (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) on the eggs of Papilio demoleus (Linn.) from India.

Abstract

The citrus leaf-eating caterpillar Papilio demoleus (Linn.) is a key pest of citrus in India causing extensive damage especially in nurseries and to tender flushes of foliage of different citrus cultivars in the field. A number of natural enemies were recorded by earlier workers (Pruthi and Mani, 1985; Singh, 1980, 1985; Krishnamoorthy and Singh, 1986; Krishnamoorthy, 1987). During the course of observations in the campus, a large number of eggs laid by P. demoleus on citrus were found to be parasitised. Such eggs were brought to the laboratory and kept individually in glass tubes (7.5 x 2.5 cm) and on emergence, the parasitoids were separated based on visual characters. Subsequently, the parasitoids were indentified by Commonwealth Institute of Entomology, London.