Trichogramma beckeri Nagarkatti: A NEW PARASITE OF THE GIANT METER OF CIPRES, Oxydia trychiata (Guenée)

Abstract

A study on the parasitic habits of Trichogramma beckeri Nagarkatti (Hy­menoptera: Trichogrammatidae) was carried out at the laboratory of the "Fundación Nacional de Entomología Forestal (FUNDEF)". The parasite was found attacking eggs of Oxydia trychiata in Pinus patula groves at El Retiro (Antioquia) (2120 m.a.s.l. and 1 7°C). Since initially, the adults emerged from egg masses of O. trychiata collected in the pinus groves during recovery studies of parasites of the genus Tele­nomus, a test was made to prove if it was a primary or secondary parasite. The life cycle lasted 36.4 days; the average number of adults of the parasite from each egg of O. trychiata was 3.7, and the life span of the adults parasites under laboratory conditions was three days. Under laboratory conditions, the adult parasites mate shortly after emergence and parasitize eggs of O. trychiata and Cargolia arana (Dognin) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae).