title: Life history of Spalangia gemina Boucek (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a fast-breeding microhymenopteran pupal parasitoid of muscoid flies.
abstract: Laboratory studies at 25.5 degrees C and 70-75% r.h. demonstrated that the average daily survival rate for females of the parasitoid Spalangia gemina Boucek (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) was 0.907 over a 20-day period, with 50% mortality in 17.3 days. Mean immature developmental time of S.gemina was 22 days and the population growth rate was c. 40-fold per generation. The females successfully parasitized 1-, 2- and 3-day-old pupae of Musca domestica L. and parasitism of 98-100% was obtained at parasitoid to host ratios of 1:0.5-2.5. Parasitism of 81-87% was obtained at parasitoid to host ratios of 1:10. The male to female sex ratio was 1:1.59. S.gemina appears to have advantages over other Spalangia spp., which have immature development times of 28-32 days under comparable conditions, for the biological control of Muscidae.
authors.affiliation: Insects Affecting Man and Animals Research Laboratory, USDA, ARS, Gainesville, Florida 32604.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Berti-Filho
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Costa
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D006793:Houseflies / Q000469:parasitology*; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011679:Pupa / Q000469:parasitology; D012098:Reproduction; D012744:Sex Ratio; D014863:Wasps / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology