Obliquebanded leafroller (OBLR), Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris) can cause substantial crop loss in California pistachios. The braconid, Macrocentrus iridescens (French), was found to frequently parasitize OBLR in the San Joaquin Valley pistachios. We evaluated the biology of M. iridescens in laboratory in order to determine its potential for use in an augmentation program. Results show that M. iridescens parasitizes 1st, 2nd, and 3rd larval stages of OBLR. The eggs develop polyembryonically, giving broods of exclusively males (17%), exclusively females (27%) or mixed broods (56%); with an average of 32.9, 23.9, and 32.6 individuals per brood, respectively. Adult females reach their peak of egg deposition levels five days after eclosion. Adult females live on average 16.7, 3.0, and 1.8 days at 25oC when provided with honey and water, water only, or neither, respectively. Oviposition of fertilized eggs continued from immediately after copulation until day 27. Based on host stage, mortality and development rate, production of parasitoids is maximized using 2nd and 3rd instars OBLR larvae, reared at temperatures near 28oC.
Species 1: Hymenoptera Braconidae Macrocentrus iridescens
Species 2: Lepidoptera Tortricidae Choristoneura rosaceana (obliquebanded leafroller)
Keywords: Biological Control, life history
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