In laboratory experiments we compared the mortality of Plutella xylostella L. eggs induced by six products of trichogrammatid egg parasitoids. Five of the species were commercially available, and the sixth is under development. Each of the six products represented a single species of trichogrammatid (Trichogrammatoidea bactraeNagaraja,Trichogrammapretiosum Riley, T. ostriniae Pan & Chen, T. pla...

Many insects possess a sexual communication system that is vulnerable to chemical espionage by parasitic wasps. We recently discovered that a hitch-hiking (H) egg parasitoid exploits the antiaphrodisiac pheromone benzyl cyanide (BC) of the Large Cabbage White butterfly Pieris brassicae. This pheromone is passed from male butterflies to females during mating to render them less attractive to con...

The life table statistics of six native Kenyan species/strains of Trichogramma and Trichogrammatoidea were established using a factitious host Corcyra cephalonica, Stainton (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), at eight different temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25, 28, 30, 32 and 35 degrees C) and two humidity levels (40-50 and 70-80%). The objective was to select insects with superior attributes for augmentativ...

Trichogramma wasps are tiny hymenopterous egg parasitoids widely used in biological control programs worldwide. The huge quantities of insects necessary for inundative releases are mainly produced on factitious hosts like Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), or on silkworms. In order to simplify production, increase its flexibility, and potentially reduce cost, studies on arti...

Euselasia eucerus (Hewitson, 1872) (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) is a Brazilian native species commonly found in Eucalyptus plantations. Biotic mortality factors of this defoliator were studied in a Eucalyptus urophylla plantation in Minas Gerais State, Brazil aiming to identify natural enemies and their impact on this insect. Euselasia eucerus had biotic mortality factors during all development st...