SURVIVAL OF MACROCENTRUS ANCYLIVORUS ROH., A PARASITE OF THE ORIENTAL FRUIT MOTH, ON DIFFERENT CONCENTRATIONS OF VARIOUS SUGAR SOLUTIONS

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Abstract
Newly emerged adults of the hymenopterous parasite Macrocentrus ancylivorus Roh. were fed for their entire adult lifetime on a diet consisting solely of a solution, of one sugar only, of specified concentration. Sexes were kept distinct. Temperature was constant at 26.5 °C. throughout the experiments. Dextrose, levulose, galactose, maltose, sucrose, and lactose were tested at seven concentrations ranging from 0.1% to 40%. The mean length of life on lactose at any concentration was only slightly longer than on water. Survival on galactose was moderate. Survival was satisfactory on all the remaining four sugars. The mean length of life on these sugars increased rapidly as concentration was increased and was optimal at 5%. Above this concentration survival declined, especially at high concentrations of 20% and 40%; however, at the latter concentrations survival was greater than at concentrations of 2.5%. Survival on a 10% honey solution was not as great as on solutions of the four sugars at the same concentration. The mean length of life of males generally was slightly less than that of females.