Department of Entomology, Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur-176 062, Himachal Pradesh (India).
*Present address: Assistant Seed Research Officer, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Chamba at Baloo, P.O. Sultanpur-176 314, District Chamba, Himachal Pradesh (India).
Biology of the parasitoid, Apanteles galleriae Wilk. was studied on the larvae of lesser wax moth (Achroia grisello Fabr.) and greater wax moth (Gollerio mellonella Linn.) at 20±1°C and 30±1°C in the laboratory. The host larvae of wax moths were obtained from honey bee colonies of Apis mellifera Lhn. The incubation, larval, pupal and total development periods of the parasitoid on G. mellonella at 20±1°C were recorded as 3.2, 12.7, 7.7 and 23.6 days, respectively; and on A. grisella as 3.1, 12.2, 7.3 and 22.6 days, respectively. At 30±1°C, on G. mellonella these durations were observed as 2.9, 11.7, 5.3 and 19.9 days; and on A. grisella as 2.6, 11.6, 5.1 and 19.3 days, respectively. The maximum adult female and male longevity was 14.7 and 8.0 days when larvae of parasitoid emerged from A. grisella larvae at 20±1°C as compared to 13.5 and 7.3 days, respectively at 30±1°C. Similarly, the longevity of female and male adult parasitoid emerging from G. mellonella larvae was maximum at 20±l°C,-being 14.2 and 7.8 days in comparison to 13.9 and 7.4 days, respectively at 30±1°C.
