Quality Control Parameters of Mass-Reared Opiine Parasitoids Used in Augmentative Biological Control of Tephritid Fruit Flies in Hawaii

Two species of opiine braconid parasitoids (Diachasmimorpha longicaudata [Ashmead] and D. tryoni [Cameron]) were mass-reared in insectaries in Oahu, Hawaii and shipped to the island of Kauai for augmentative biological control research and efficacy projects against the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis [Hendel] and Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitus capitata [Wiedemann]. Large cohorts of both species were marked with fluorescent dyes to distinguish them from wild parasitoids, and to study their dispersal behavior in the field. Pupal weight, percentage emergence, and sex ratio of dyed and undyed parasitoids were determined for cohorts retained in the insectary, and the combined deleterious effects of transportation and handling on subsequent emergence after field release were measured. The effects of two types of adult parasitoid release vessels on emergence, adult mortality, and short range dispersal were compared, and the negative effects of fluorescent dyes on adult mortality and dispersal were documented. Results are discussed in terms of ways to improve augmentative releases of these opiine parasitoids for fruit fly control.