The Role of Parasitoid Age on the Fecundity and Sex Ratio of the Parasitoid,Aenasius bambawalei (Hayat) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae)

The effect of parasitoid age on the fecundity and sex ratio of aenasius bambawalei hayat (hymenoptera: encyrtidae) was determined on different life stages of the host phenacoccus solenopsis tinsley (hemiptera: pseudococcidae) by keeping both at 27±2oc and 65±5% relative humidity during parasitization. fecundity of the female parasitoid did not change significantly during the first 5 days of its life span but afterwards it decreased significantly under laboratory conditions. while offspring sex ratio of 1 day old female wasp was found to be female biased on both 3rd and adult host stages but afterwards it changed to male biased sex ratio of 5 and 10 days old parasitoid female. the male emergence was more by 5 days old parasitoid female than 1 day old at 3rd instar host stage while at adult host stage it was more by 1 day old female than the 5 and 10 days old female wasp. emergence of total progeny of the wasp (adult female and male) was significantly higher on adult host stage than 3rd instar host stage. the interaction of parasitoid age and host stage has significant effect on the emergence of male than on the female wasp. the fecundity and the parasitic potential of the female parasitoid reared on adult host stages were higher than those reared on 3rd instar host stages.