Temperature-Dependent Development and Oviposition Behavior ofTrichogramma ostriniae(Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), a Potential Biological Control Agent for the European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Abstract

Abstract Trichogramma ostriniae Pang and Chen (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) was reared continuously for seven generations on its native host, the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenee) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). It took 6.7 d at 33°C and 20 d at 17°C from oviposition to adult emergence with no differences between sexes. Several theoretic models were used to fit the temperature-dependent growth curves of T. ostriniae. A transformed day-degree model and the Hilbert-Logan model were the most reliable for predicting temperature development of T. ostriniae. The wasps reared on O. furnacalis at 27°C by the seventh generation had a lower level of parasitism than wasps from other generations and at other temperatures (17–33°C). The number of wasps emerged from individual parasitized egg, and percentage of females produced did not differ for any generations and temperatures. The differences among different generations for the amount and proportion of time female wasp spent drumming host eggs did not show...