Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) es una plaga polífaga que provoca daños en varios cultivos, entre ellos los destinados a la producción de biodiesel, como ricino (Ricinus communis), piñón (Jatropha curcas) y tung (Aleurites fordii). Uno de los principales agentes de control biológico de lepidópteros plagas son los parasitoides de huevos del género Trichogramma. En este trabajo se evaluó la influencia de la temperatura en el desempeño de tres cepas (TRS13, TRS65 y TRS81) de Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) sobre huevos de S. cosmioides y se determinó el límite térmico inferior de desarrollo y la constante térmica. Los experimentos se realizaron a temperaturas constantes (18, 20, 22, 25, 28 y 30 °C), humedad relativa de 70 ± 10% y fotoperiodo de 12:12 h L:O. La duración del período de desarrollo de las tres cepas de T. pretiosum mostró relación inversa con el aumento de la temperatura. Se observó que la temperatura afecta la emergencia del parasitoide, siendo superior al 74% para cada una de las cepas a 25 °C. Sin embargo, las temperaturas evaluadas no afectaron el número de adultos por huevo ni la proporción sexual. El límite térmico inferior de desarrollo (Tb) y la constante térmica (K) de las cepas fueron de 11,21 °C y 131,41 GD (grados día) para TRS13; 10,73 °C y 137,70 GD para TRS65 y 10,68 °C y 138,70 GD para TRS81.

Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest that causes damage to various crops including those used in the production of biodiesel, such as castor bean (Ricinus communis), Barbados nut (Jatropha curcas), and Tung-oil tree (Aleurites fordii). One of the main biological control agents of lepidopteran pests are egg parasitoids of the genus Trichogramma. The influence of temperature on the performance of three strains (TRS13, TRS65 and TRS81) of Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) on eggs of S. cosmioides and thermal requirements were studied. The experiments were carried out at constant temperatures (18, 20, 22, 25 and 28) and 30 °C, 70 ± 10% relative humidity and photoperiod of 14:10 (light: dark) hours. The development time of the three strains of T. pretiosum was inversely related to temperature rise. The temperatures affected the parasitoid emergency, being higher than 74% for each of the strains at 25 °C. However, the temperatures tested did not affect the number of adults per egg and sex ratio. The lower temperature threshold (Tb) and thermal constant (K) were 11.21 °C and 131.41 DD (degree-days) for strain TRS13, 10.73 °C and 137.70 DD for TRS65 and 10.68 °C and 138.70 DD for TRS81.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a biologia de Hypercompe indecisa e construir a tabela de vida de fertilidade em dieta artificial, para criação em laboratório. Foram determinados: duração e sobrevivência das fases de ovo, larva e pupa; número de estádios larvais; razão sexual; peso de pupas; longevidade; fecundidade; e períodos de pré-oviposição e oviposição. Os períodos embrionário, larval e pupal foram de 6, 25,4 e 64,3 dias, com sobrevivência de 92,7, 92 e 71,9%, respectivamente. Foram observados seis estádios larvais com durações variáveis. O peso de pupas foi: 1,04 g para fêmeas e 0,726 g para machos. O ciclo biológico foi de 95,6 dias com sobrevivência total de 61,3%. As fêmeas colocaram, em média, 1.531 ovos durante 8,3 dias, e com um período de pré-oviposição de dois dias. A longevidade média de machos e fêmeas foi de 21,9 e 21,8 dias, respectivamente, e a razão sexual de machos para fêmeas foi 0,54. A espécie H. indecisa aumentou 283 vezes a cada geração, e a duração média de uma geração é de 98 dias, e a razão finita de aumento é de 1,0593. A dieta artificial utilizada foi adequada para a criação de H. indecisa, em laboratório.

The objective of this work was to study the biology of Hypercompe indecisa and construct a life table of fertility on an artificial diet, aiming at insect rearing in the laboratory. The following variables were determined: duration and survival of egg, larval and pupal phases; number of larval stages; sexual ratio; pupal weight; longevity; fecundity; and the period of pre-oviposition and oviposition. The embrionary, larval and pupal phases were 6, 25.4 and 64.3 days, with survival of 92.7, 92 and 71.9%, respectively. Six larval stages with variable durations were observed. Pupal weight was 1.04 g for females and 0.726 g for males. The biological cycle was 95.6 days, with 61.3% total survival. Females laid in average 1,531 eggs, during 8.3 days, with a pre-oviposition period of two days. The average longevity of males and females was 21.9 and 21.8 days, respectively, and the sexual ratio of males to females was 0.54. Increase of H. indecisa was 283 times through each generation, with the generation average duration of 98 days, and the finite ratio of increase of 1.0593. The used artificial diet was adequate for rearing H. indecisa, in the laboratory.

This work was carried out to quantify the damage caused by Etiella zinckenella (Treitschke) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) to common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cv. Pyatã, Guapo Brilhante, Iraí and Feijão-Verde in Pelotas, Canguçu and Arroio do Padre in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, in 1996/97 season. Samples of mature bean plants were harvested and thrashed in the laboratory and healthy grains were separated from damaged ones. Damaged grain percentage ranged from 15.5 (cv. Pyatã, in Arroio do Padre) to 44.0% (cv. Pyatã, in Canguçu).