ARTIFICIAL DIETS FOR THE ADULT PARASITOID ITOPLECTIS CONQUISITOR (HYMENOPTERA: ICHNEUMONIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractTwo artificial diets — one liquid, the other candied — developed for adult Itoplectis conquisitor, an ichneumonid parasitoid, proved equal in performance for fecundity to a natural food regimen involving blood of host pupa, Galleria mellonella. Feeding on the liquid diet resulted in a parasitoid emergence rate from host pupae of 42.9 ± 8.6%; on the candy diet, 52.2 ± 15.8%; and on the natural regimen, 54.4 ± 4.0%. Therefore, host material was not needed to feed the adults. Other advantages of these artificial diets include convenience, economy, efficacy, and manageability for proper insect husbandry.