Cold storage of bisexual population of Lysiphlebus fabarum (Braconidae: Aphidiinae)

Parasitoids cold storage is the most commonly used method for the storage of natural enemies. In this research, the cold storage feasibility of larval and pupal developmental stages of Lysiphlebus fabarum was studied at 4 °C. The effect of constant or fluctuating temperatures on these developmental stages was also considered. The three-week maintenance in different treatments showed that mummy/fluctuating temperature treatment was the best storage condition because the highest emergence rate and sex ratio and the largest offsprings were observed in this treatment. In this study, the lower temperature threshold for oviposition was also determined. For this purpose, mated females were introduced to black bean aphids for 24 hours at 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 °C. The results showed that the females started laying eggs at 10 °C. At this temperature, all emerged adult were male while, at 12 degrees, both sexes were observed.