Effects of Different Photoperiods • and Different Nutrients on the Longevity of Endoparasitoid Venturia canescens ( Grav . ) ( Hymenoptera : Ichneumonidae ) Reared from Two Different Host Stages

Effects of different photoperiods (16:8 h light: dark, and continuous darkness), and different diet treatments (water, honey and no food) on the longevity of Venturia canescens (Grav.) developed from different larval stages of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (L3 and L5) were determined at 25±1°C and 60-70 % relative humidity under laboratory conditions. There were no significant differences between nutrient and photoperiod treatments, and among nutrient, photoperiod and host stage treatments for the longevity of the parasitoid. However, there were significant difference between host stage and nutrient treatments, and host stage and photoperiod treatments for the longevity of the parasitoid. In different host stages and different diet treatments, maximum longevity, 23,21 days, was observed in parasitoids which developed from L5 and fed with honey. In different host stages and different photoperiod treatments, maximum longevity was obtained when parasitoid were developed from L5 in each photoperiod treatments. These results when evaluated in respect of mass culture of V. canescens showed that longevity of the parasitoid significantly increased when mature larvae of E. kuehniella were used as host and feeding with honey.