Aleiodes (Rogas) aligarhensi (Quadri)

Aleiodes aligarhensi the solitary larval endo-parasitoid has originally been described from Pectinophora gossypiella. But it is also an important parasitoid of Earias spp. In Gujarat 6 to 90% parasitism of Earias larvae has been recorded in different years. The activity of this parasitoid in the field coincides with that of the hosts throughout the cotton growing season. The strain of parasitoid recorded at Anand, Gujarat withstands pesticide pressure to a certain extent.

The larvae of Earias vittella are reared either on okra fruits or on semisynthetic diet. For exposing the 10 Aleiodes aligarhensi females only 2nd instar larvae are offered in batches of seventy in each clear plastic jar (one litre capacity) modified into oviposition cage by cutting the top of the lid and replacing it with fine nylon net.

The larvae are replaced every 24 hrs with a fresh batch of 70 larvae. The process continues for 16 days for each set. The cages are kept in a dark place. In case such rooms are not available a black cloth could be wrapped round each of the cages.

The larvae are collected back and fed on semisynthetic diet or on okra fruits while replacing the larvae the food of adults i.e 10% honey soaked cotton swabs is also changed and at least twice a week the whole set is changed to avoid contamination. Most of the larvae die within 6 days of parasitism some however continue to live upto 8 days. The adults from the pupae emerge in 4-9 days, maximum adults emerge is on 5th and 6th day. The adults are paired in the cages described above and fed on 10% honey solution. The freshly emerged males and females are paired in the ratio of 1:1. In case there is shortage of males, 1 male:2 females could be caged. The host larvae are offered to the mated females from the next day onwards. Aleiodes aligarhensi female is capable of laying 110 eggs. The eggs hatch within 21 hrs. The period from egg laying to pupation is completed in about 6 days andthe cocoon period in about 5.5 days. The adult female live for 17 days and the male a little over 13 days.