SURVEY OF CERTAIN INSECTS INFESTING MAIZE CROP AND BIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE PARASITOID, BRACON BREVICORNIS WESM. (HYMENOPTERA: BRACONIDAE) REARED ON SESAMIA CRETICA LED. UNDER LABORATORY CONDITIONS.

The present study was conducted during two successive seasons in the period from 2011 to 2012 to survey some aphids species Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch)., Rhopalosiphum padi (Linnaeus)., Aphis gossypii (Glover). , leafhoppers species Empoasca decipiens (Paoli), Empoasca decedens (Paoli) , Cicadulina chinai (Ghaui) , Balclutha hortensis (Lindb) and Cicadulina bipunctella zeae (China), planthoppers species namely Sogatelle vibix (Haupt) and S. furcifera (Horv.) and two stem borers Sesamia cretica Led, Ostrinia nubilalis Hun infesting maize plants and their associated predators.The ecto-larval parasitoid species, Bracon brevicornis Wesm . was reared in the laboratory on full grown larval of the corn borer, S. cretica Led. Some biological aspects of parasitoid were studied. Total developmental period of immature stages (egg – adult) lasted 16.05 days. Average number of deposited eggs / female was 209.08 eggs. Mean number of eggs deposited per host larva was 8.19 eggs. Sex ratio (male: female) was 1 : 0.54 when the parasitoid was reared on S. cretica grown larvae . The results indicated that increase of the parasitoid density, increased the number of host larva parasitized, fecundity and total progeny, while the sex ratio (female %) was decreased. Adult longevity was affected by temperature and food supplied. Four predators were associated with these insects on maize. These predators were Coccinella undecimpunctata , Metasyrphus Corollae , Chrysoperala carnea and true spiders