Effect of sugar concentration and feeding frequency on adult’s longevity and progeny production of the parasitoid wasp, Habrobracon hebetor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Habrobracon hebetor (Hym.: Braconidae), as a cosmopolite ectoparasitoid and one of the most important biocontrol agents, is widely used against different lepidopteran pests. Adult wasps feed on sugar resources to obtain energy. In the present study, the effects of two factors, i.e. different concentrations of a sugar solution (0, 10, 30, 50 and 70%) and different feeding frequencies (no feeding, water-feeding once a day, one-time sugar-feeding on the first day of experiment, sugar-feeding once a day, sugar-feeding once every two days, sugar-feeding once every three days, sugar-feeding once every four days) on longevity and progeny production of adult wasps were examined. Sugar solution was a mixture of 1:1:1 glucose, fructose and sucrose. In the absence of larvae of the Mediterranean flour moth as host, the highest longevities were observed at 30, 50 and 70% concentrations, as 31.8, 35.9 and 27.5 days for males, and 39.5, 43.3 and 39.9±4.6 days for females, respectively (with no significant difference). In the absence of host larvae, the highest longevity of adults was obtained when wasps fed sugar once per day as 31.6 and 39.5 days, for males and females respectively. Also in the presence of host larvae, the highest longevity of females was observed when the wasps fed sugar once per day. Females fed from 30, 50 and 70% concentrations had the highest progeny productions of 93.4, 104.2 and 77.8 adult individuals/female, respectively. Finally, female feeding on sugar once a day produced the highest progeny (94.7 adult individuals/ female; with significant difference to other treatmants). These results indicated the importance of sugar in diet of adult parasitoid wasp of H. hebetor and its significant effects on their longevity and reproduction, this in turn can improve the diets used for mass rearing.