Biological, nutritional, and histochemical basis for improving an artificial diet for Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract

Neotropical Entomology 35(2): 215-222 (2006) Bases Biológicas, Nutricionais e Histoquímicas para o Aprimoramento de Dieta Artificial para Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidade) PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Controle biológico, ácido graxo, idiobionte, exigência nutricional, proteínaABSTRACT -The biology of Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) reared on fifth instars of Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) (natural diet) and in vitro (artificial diet) was evaluated. Data on the number of instars, development time and food intake were collected, and histochemical tests were conducted to detect proteins and lipids in the parasitoid's digestive tract. The data disclosed differences that can help to improve artificial rearing of B. hebetor. B. hebetor had three instars in both diets, but the developmental time on the artificial diets was prolonged due to the increase in larval and pupal development times. Larvae grew faster on the natural host and required a lower food intake (2.7 μl) as compared to that required by the larvae feeding on the artificial diet (3.8 μl). Analysis of diet protein content and host hemolymph and the observations on the parasitoid larvae gut content indicated altogether the artificial diets requires the addition of others sources of proteins and lipids to improve the overall nutrition quality of the in vitro rearing system for this ectoparasitoid.

Morphological characterization of immature stages of Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) ectoparasitoid of Ephestia kuehniella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae)

“…The time of development from egg to adult emergence was similar to that reported for H. hebetor by Serra (1992), Magro et al (2006) and Alam et al (2014). Between 26-28°C, the immature stage occurs after 10-12 days in E. kuehniella larvae or other hosts.…”

“…The existence of four larval instars of H. hebetor was found by adjusting the total length and width of the cephalic capsule measurements data by a segmented regression model (Ambrosano et al 1997) differing from the previous assessment by Magro et al (2006), who, based on the size of jaws, recorded the existence of only three larval instars for this parasitoid using the same host. This was also opposite to the result observed by Sudheendrakumar et al (1982), in which the authors reported the occurrence of five larval instars according to length of mandible and diameter of prothoracic spiracle.…”

“…The number of instars, development time and feed consumption of H. hebetor was evaluated by Magro et al (2006) for the improvement of an artificial diet, however without morphological details. According to Forouzan et al (2008) and Chen et al (2012), the time of development of immature stages of the parasitoid H. hebetor decreases as the temperature increases.…”

Evaluation of Artificial Diets for <I>Attacus atlas</I> (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) in Yogyakarta Special Region, Indonesia

“…QuantiÞcation of hemolymph proteins has been reported by Cremonez et al (1998) for the honey bee and by Magro et al (2006) for the braconid wasp, Bracon hebetor Say. QuantiÞcation of hemolymph protein is possible to evaluate diet quality.…”

“…Two days after the Þfth molt, hemolymph was obtained by severing two dorsal abdominal tubercles. The hemolymph was collected in a 5-ml test tube and added to a small amount of 1-phenyl-2-thiourea crystals (Magro et al 2006). The isolated hemolymph was centrifuged at 10,000 rpm for 5 min.…”