Preliminary investigation of food source preferences of the parasitoidTrichogramma platneri Nagarkatti (Hymenoptera, Trichogrammatidae)

Abstract

The daily survival rate was investigated ofTrichogramma platneri Nag. wasps supplied with flowers (both with and without anthers) of avocado cv. Ettinger and cv. Fuerte, anthers of avocado flowers, or flowers ofOxalis cernua, Mercurialis annua andEuphorbia sp. The life span of wasps supplied with anthers or weed flowers was less than 24 hours, whereas it was longer on avocado. However, none of the avocado varieties appeared outstanding in sustaining the wasps. It follows that nectar is the wasp's preferred or only source of food.