Laboratory Rearing of Microbracon vestiticida Vier. on the Bean Weevil, with Notes on the Life History of the Parasite

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Abstract
Large-scale rearing of M. vestiticida, a parasite of the Peruvian cotton square weevil, Anthonomus vestitus, was impractical on the boll weevil A. grandis (which it was shown to attack), since mature larvae and pupae are not available in the field during several months of the yr. Laboratory rearing of the host was also impractical. The parasite was first introduced into the U. S. in 1941. Methods were developed to allow rearing on a readily available host, the common bean weevil, Acanthoscelidcs obtectus. Other easily obtained insects, such as Ephestia kuehniella, Tri-bolium confusum and Sitophilus oryza, did not attract the parasite. The bean-weevil stages attacked were the pupae, prepupae, and larvae in that order of preference. Infested beans in mosquito-netting sacs were the most satisfactory for oviposition. Skinned infested beans were more attractive to the [female][female] than the unskinned ones but the extra labor involved made this method prohibitive. Eggs are deposited externally. Only a few hosts are paralyzed by the [female]. The last complete generation yielded 9.6 progeny per [female].

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