Host age selection in several German strains of Trichogramma aurosum Sugonjaev & Sorokina was examined in laboratory choice tests under direct observation for 90 min., in order to select candidate strains for attempts at controlling the codling moth, Cydia pomonella L.(Lepidoptera: Tortricidae). Experiments were conducted at room tempera-ture by exposing combinations of two host ages (zero vs. four and one vs. five-days old) to a single female wasp. Host age did not appear to affect the wasps parasitization behaviour, although they spent longer time drilling on old eggs (four and five days old) compared with fresh ones (zero and one day old). This not necessarily means that they preferred fresh eggs over old ones, since both type of hosts were parasitized in the choice test. Possibly an increased mechanical resistance of the chorion of older eggs was responsible for the …

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Publisher

Victor Quest Publications

Publisher Country

United Kingdom

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Prtinted only

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