BRACON HEBETOR SAY IS THE NATURAL ENEMY OF EPHESTIA CALIDELLA (GUEN.) A PEST OF STORED DRY FRUITS
SHYAM GUPTA *
NUCLEAR MEDICINE UNIT, S.N. MEDICAL COLLEGE, AGRA-282 003, INDIA.
H.B. SHARMA *
DEPARTMENT OF ZOOLOGY, B.S.A. COLLEGE, MATHURA- 281 001, INDIA
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The use of Bracon hebetor Say and Trichogramma minutum R. were attempted for biological control of Ephestia calidella (Guen.) but the former proved the only parasite which was successfully reared on the mature larvae of E. calidella being a serious pest of stored dry fruits. The adult was a small tiny braconid insect with smoky wings. It was an ectophagous larval parasite and was the only natural enemy of this pest described during the present investigation.