Development time of three species of Bracon (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) on the pink bollworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in relation to temperature

Bracon greeni Ashmead developed from egg to adult in 16.6, 10.5, 7.7, and 6.6 days at 20, 25, 30, and 35 degree C, respectively, when reared on larvae of the pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders). Developmental times on the same host larvae were 17.9, 10.8, 8.6, and 6.7 days for B. hebetor Say and 20.5, 12.3, 7.2, and 6.1 days for B. brevicornis Wesmael at the same respective temperatures. Immature stages of all parasites survived better at the warmer temperatures than at 20 degree C; most mortality occurred in the egg stage. Adult longevity at 25 degree C averaged 27.4 days for B. hebetor females, 36.4 days for B. greeni females, and 15.5 days for males and females of B. brevicornis, B. hebetor female deposited an average of 326.4 eggs on 34.5 host larvae when held at 25 degree C, whicle B. greeni females laid 159.1 eggs on 54.1 larvae at the same temperature.