HOST PREFERENCE OF THE ECTOPARASITOID, EPYRIS QUINQUECARINATUS KIEFFER (BETHYLIDAE: HYMENOPTERA) ON CERTAIN MAIZE LEPIDOPTEROUS LARVAE

The present study was carried out in Plant Protection Department laboratory, Fac. of Agric., Fayoum Univ. and conducted under the optimum laboratory conditions of 27 ± 1°C and 57.7 ± 5 % R.H.The parasitoid, Epyris quinquecarinatus Kieffer was reared on larvae of each of Pyroderces simplex Wlsm., Cryptoplabes gnidiella Mill., Gymnoscelis pumilata Hb. and Sesamia cretica Led.. This bethylid parasitoid perefered larvae of P. simplex then G. pumilatta larvae, while the larvae of C. ginidella and S. cretica appeared as unsuitable hosts.