Determination of behavioral parameters affecting performance of mass production larval parasitoid Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

In order to determine the quality control of parasitoids in mass production and to increase efficiency, behavioral studies are also required along with host-parasitoid relationships. In this study, behavioral studies of the mass-produced larval parasitoid Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were carried out, which will form the basis of standard quality control studies and increase the parasitoid performance. Five different behavioral tests were applied in the study. These are the parasitoid; host acquisition behavior, flight test, search behavior, host selection behavior and host orientation behavior. The host acquisition behavior test results showed that the parasitoid was able to detect parasitized and non-parasitized hosts, but with a low rate of superparasitism. Flight test results showed more walking behavior than flying behavior when parasitoids searched for host. Foraging behavior tests have shown that individuals experienced in parasitism find their hosts more quickly. The host selection behavior test results showed that the parasitoid mostly preferred the larvae of Ephestia kuehniella, followed by the larvae of Ephestia cautella, Phthorimaea operculella and Plodia interpunctella, respectively. The host orientation behavior test results determined that host density increased the rate of parasitoid host finding. The results obtained here may contribute to increasing the usability of V. canescens in the establishment of behavioral quality control standards and biological control programs.