Effect of the age of larvae Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) in the biological quality of parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead)

Abstract

This work was carried out in order to evaluate the influence of age (size) of larvae Ceratitis capitata used in the rearing of the Diachasmimorpha longicaudata on parasitism, sex ratio of the progeny and the longevity of progeny's females, when the mothers were maintained alone or sharing the same host. Larvae at different ages (five, six, seven and eight days old), in "units of parasitism" were offered to female parasitoids, inside adapted cages, containing one or two seven days old female parasitoids. The number of females of the parasitoid sharing the same "unit of parasitism" in the same cage did not affect any aspect of parasitoid quality. However, the size of the host had significant influence on the number of emerged parasitoids. The youngest host larvae (five days old) reduced parasitism more than larvae at six, seven and eight days old. There was higher emergence of male parasitoids of five and six days old hosts, while more females emerged from seven and eight days old larvae. The females of D. longicaudata from larvae with six, seven and eight days old lived more than those obtained from females of five days old larvae. When larger host larvae are used in the rearing of parasitoids of fruit flies, it increases parasitism, the number of female progeny and the longevity of female progeny; it can provide economic advantages when used for augmentative liberation on the field.