The Effects of Different Temperatures and Diet on the Longevity of Bracon Hebetor (Say, 1836) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract

The effects of constant and varying temperatures from 18 °C to 35 °C and diet on longevity of Bracon hebetor (Say, 1836) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were investigated. Ephestia kuehniella (Zeller, 1879) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae were used as host. Adults were provided with one of the three food types: host larvae, honey solution (50%) or host larvae+honey solution. Temperature had a significant effect on the longevity of female and male parasitoids. The longest longevity of both sexes occured when adults reared at 18 °C. Increasing the temperature from 18 °C to 35 °C decreased the longevity. Adults reared at fluctuating temperatures lived considerably shorter than those reared at 18 °C and 25 °C, but longer than at 35 °C. Longevity also was significantly affected by diet in both sex of parasitoid. Honey feeding to adult parasitoids increased their longevity. They lived the longest at 18 °C and the shortest at 35 °C. Females fed with all food types in different temperatures lived longer than males.