Biology of Trichogramma pretiosum riley in eggs of Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier)

Biological aspects of the parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) were studied in eggs of its factitious host, Sitotroga cerealella (Olivier) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), with the objective of obtaining basic information about the biology of this parasitoid under environmental lab conditions. There was no control of temperature, relative humidity and photoperiod with the purpose of simulating the natural conditions of the Submedio Sao Francisco region, Pernambuco State, Brazil. The mean temperature during the study was 25.9 +/- 0.9 degrees C. The results showed a mean duration of the period egg-adult of 9.42 days and a viability of parasited eggs of 88%. The mean number of T. pretiosum emerged by egg of the host was 1.41 with a maximum of two individuals/egg. The mean longevity of females was 5.53 days while the males lived an average of 3.08 days when both were fed with pure honey.