Biology and Life Table Studies of Apanteles cypris Nixon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a Larval Parasitoid of Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee)

Abstract

The egg-larval and pupal periods of Apanteles cypris Nixon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), a larval parasitoid of Cnaphalocrocis medina lis (Guenee) were 0.90±0.72 and 3.70±0.73 days, respectively. Longevity of male and female were 4.1±0.71 and 3.95±0.82 days, respectively. Male:female ratio was 1: 1.8. Life table data of the parasitoid indicated that the ovipositing females lived for maximum six days and they increased their population at the rate of 30.97 per generation (R_o) with mean generation time(T_c) of 14.01 days. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r_m) was 0.249 and the finite rate of increase (λ) was 1.282 females/female/day.