Investigation of Fecundity and Sex Ratio in the Parasitoid Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Relation to Parasitoid Age

Authors : Eylem Akman GÜNDÜZ, Adem GÜLEL

Pages : 291-294

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Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The effect of parasitoid age on fecundity and sex ratio in Bracon hebetor Say insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Hymenoptera: Braconidae); was examined at 26 ± 2 ºC and 60 ± 5% relative humidity. Galleria mellonella insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(L.); and Ephestia kuehniella insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Zell.); were used as host species. It was found that the fecundity of the female parasitoid did not change significantly during the first 5 days of the female`s lifespan but afterwards it decreased significantly. Under laboratory conditions, the offspring sex ratio was male biased on both host species. The fecundity of the female parasitoids reared on late stage larvae of G. mellonella was higher than that of those reared on E. kuehniella.
Keywords : Host, parasitoid, fecundity, sex ratio, Galleria mellonella, Ephestia kuehniella