Compatibility of a Heterorhabitid nematode and Habrobracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in biological control of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera:Pyralidae)

The potential for integrating the application of Heterorhabditis indica Poinar, Karunakar, and David (Homl strain) and Hebrobracon hebetor (Say) in the management of the Indianmeal moth was investigated in the laboratory. A combination of the nematode and the parasitoid was observed to increase the mortality of Indianmeal moth larvae but the increase was found to be additive instead of synergistic. The nematode was found to be virulent to the larvae of the parasitoid but not to the pupae. The adult parasitoid was unable to distinguish between Indianmeal moth larvae parasitized within 48 h by H. hebetor from healthy Indianmeal moth larvae in a free choice arena. Infectivity of nematode IJs was higher on parasitized Indianmeal moth larvae compared to healthy larvae.