BIOLOGY OF HABROBRACON LINEATELLAE (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE)

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Abstract
Habrobracon lineatellae Fischer has been imported from Lebanon into California in the course of a project on the biological control of the peach twig borer, Anarsia lineatella (Zeller). The navel orangeworm, Paramyelois transitella (Walker), is used as a host to mass-culture this parasite. Its biology is similar to that of other species in the genus, for the female paralyzes the host before oviposition and the larvae develop ectoparasitically. Females begin to paralyze hosts 2 to 26 days after emergence, and oviposition is initiated 1 day after they begin this host paralyzation. The number of eggs per female varies from 32 to 954. A maximum of 12 larvae of H. lineatellae can develop on 1 larva of P. transitella. When virgin females are held for 4 days and then placed with sexually active males for the rest of their lives, the sex ratio of the progeny is 53% female. The adults do not host feed. Females fed honey–water live an average of 105 days (range 51 to 166 days).