The results of laboratory studies on the life history, morphology of immature stages, effects of food and water on adult longevity, host age preference for oviposition, parthenogenesis, and adult behavior of Telenomus solitus Johnson are presented. Telenomus solitus completed its development in 10.8 days (egg, 0.3 day ; I st instar, 2.7 days ; 2 *a instar, 3.7 days ; and pupa, 4.1 days). The adults lived longest when provided with both honey and water. Without food, they survived less than 24 h. Parasitization of host eggs varied significantly with their age, being highest in 42 h old eggs. Fewer than 10 % of eggs older than 60 h were parasitized successfully. The periodicity of oviposition was unimodal ; it occurred throughout the 24 h period and peaked in the late photophase. Females of T. solitus are arrhenotokous. The behavioral sequences during courtship, mating, and oviposition are described.
KEY-WORDS:Telenomus, egg parasitoid, immature morphology, adult behavior.The Scelionidae is the largest family of Proctotrupoidea, with more than 70 genera distributed among 3 subfamilies and more than 20 tribes. Telenomus is a cosmopolitan, eurytopic genus, with more than 500 nominal species. Several species show some degree of specificity, primarily parasitizing only the eggs of host species from which they were reared (Anderson, 1976). Parasitization by a single species of Telenomus of insects in more than one order is uncommon (Johnson, 1984).In February, 1977, an undescribed Neotropical species of Telenomus was collected from eggs of an undetermined noctuid on potato foliage near Solola, Guatemala. This species was later described and named Telenomus solitus by Johnson (1983). We studied the biology of T. solitus Johnson before it was released for biological control. In this paper, we describe its life history and behavior.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
GENERAL EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURESExcept for studies on the response of Telenomus solitus to varying temperatures, all experiments were conducted at 26.7 _+ 2 ~ 50 _+ 5 % RH, and 12L : 12D photoperiod (~) Current address : Southern Field Crap Insect Management Laboratory, P.O. Box 346, Stoneville, Mississippi 38776.