Trichogramma pretiosum Riley and Trichogrammatoidea annulata De Santis are commonly found in avocado and persimmon orchards in northern Parana state. However, their abundance depends on whether insecticides are used or not to control the key lepidopteran pests Stenoma catenifer (Wals.) (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) and Hypocala andremona (Stoll) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), respectively. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of an aqueous neem seed extract (ANSE) at 15, 3 and 1.5%, and of an emulsifiable concentrate neem oil (ECNO) at 2.5, 0.5 and 0.25% on lifetime parameters of these trichogrammatids as a way of testing the feasibility of integrating the biological and chemical control methods. Chemicals were applied on Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs before or after parasitization (one, three or five days). ANSE was more deleterious to both parasitoid species than ECNO, regardless of the concentration and the time of application. The chemicals acted on a concentration and time dependent manner. Treating the host with neem before parasitism was less deleterious to wasp emergence, especially for T. annulata. Pre-treatments (24h) of the host eggs with ECNO at concentrations varying from 0.5% to 0.25% did not affect T. pretiosum longevity, but 2.5% reduced T. annulata survival. Feeding wasps with honey mixed with 0.25% ECNO negatively affected T. annulata survival.

A influência da temperatura sobre parâmetros biológicos de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley e Trichogrammatoidea annulata De Santis (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) foi avaliada à 15, 20, 25 e 30° C. Foi usado como hospedeiro ovos de Anagasta kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). A progênie de ambos parasitóidesapresentou um desenvolvimento similar quando submetidas a 20, 25 ou 30º C. T. annulata, contudo, apresentou um desenvolvimento ligeiramente mais rápido que T. pretiosum à 15° C. A porcentagem de emergência foi elevada para ambas espécies em todas as temperaturas, não havendo influência destas sobre o número de parasitóides emergindo por hospedeiro. O número de graus dia para desenvolvimento de T. pretiosum e T. annulata foi 126,9 e 122,3, respectivamente, e a temperatura base de desenvolvimento 11° C. A taxa de parasitismo aumentou com o aumento da temperatura, sendo máxima a 25° C. Fêmeas de T. annulata,entretanto, parasitaram um número significativamente maior de hospedeiros que T. pretiosum nas quatro temperaturas. A progênie de T. annulata foi constuída principalmente por machos, exceto a 15° C, enquanto que a de T. pretiosum por fêmeas, exceto a 30° C. A longevidade de ambas espécies de parasitóides diminuiu com o aumento da temperatura sendo que as fêmeas viveram por um periodo significativamente maior que os machos.

The influence of temperature on lifetime attributes of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley and Trichogrammatoidea annulata De Santis (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) was evaluated at four constant temperatures (15, 20, 25, and 30º C), RH 70 ± 10%, photophase 14 h. Anagasta kuehniella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) eggs were used as hosts. Developmental times of both parasitoid species were similar when exposed to 20, 25, or 30º C. T. annulata, however, developed slightly faster than T. pretiosum at 15º C. Emergence rates of both species were above 89%. The temperature threshold for T. pretiosum and T. annulata was 11º C and the number of degree-days required for their development was 126.9 and 122.3, respectively. Parasitization was maximal at 25º C. T. annulata, however, parasitized significantly more hosts than T. pretiosum in the entire temperature range. Temperature had no effect in brood size.T. annulata progeny consisted predominantly of males, except at 15º C, whereas in T.pretiosumitconsisted predominantly of females, except at 30º C. Parental females lived longer than males.