Temperature and food source effects on adult longevity of Apanteles galleriae Wilkinson (Hymenoptera : Braconidae)

Abstract

We investigated the effects of temperature and food sources on the longevity of Apanteles galluriae Wilkinson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a koinobiont solitary larval endoparasitoid reared on Achroia grisella F. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Adults were supplied with one of the seven food types (comb without honey; pure honey; 50%,30%, or 10% honey solutions; glycerin; or water) or kept water- and food-deprived at each temperature (0, 10, 20, 30, 40degreesC). Adult parasitoids provided with honey solutions lived the longest at 10degreesC. Maximum mean longevity was 47.1 and 42.0 d for males and females, respectively, fed on 30% honey solution at 10degreesC. Longevity of adults did not differ markedly by sex at each temperature across all food treatments. Longevity of females fed a honey solution was slightly but not significantly shorter than males at optimal temperatures (10 and 20degreesC). However, females provided comb without honey or kept food- and water-deprived lived significantly longer than males. Our results may be of value for biological control applications and in developing mass rearing techniques for A. galleriae.