Biology of and rearing technique for Sturmiopsis parasitica (Curr.) (Diptera, Tachinidae), a parasite of graminaceous borers in Africa

Abstract

Sturmiopsis parasitica (Curr.), an important larval pupal parasite of graminaceous borers in Africa south of the Sahara, was collected from Sesamia spp. and Eldana saccharina Wlk. in Ghana. Puparia were shipped to the CIBC station at Bangalore, where a rearing technique, using field-collected borers as hosts, was devised. At 26°C the larval period was 12-14 days, prepupal period 12 h, and the pupal period 12-19 days. In its 3-4 week life span a male could successfully inseminate 4-5 females, which each produced 500-900 maggots after a gestation period of 18-19 days. In the laboratory Sturmiopsis parasitica successfully parasitised Chilo auricilius Dudgn., C. partellus (Swinh.), C. infuscatellus Sn., C. sacchariphagus indicus (Kapur) and Sesamia inferens (Wlk.); it did not parasitise Tryporyza nivella (F.) or Corcyra cephalonica (Stnt.) and was only once recovered from Galleria mellonella (L.). Its potential as a biocontrol agent against graminaceous borers in the tropics is considered high.