LONG-TERM LABORATORY EVALUATION OF ROGAS-LYMANTRIAE - A BRACONID ENDOPARASITE OF THE GYPSY-MOTH, LYMANTRIA-DISPAR

Rogas lymantriae Watanabe was reared on Lymantria dispar (L.) for 125 generations in the laboratory following importation from Japan. No deleterious effects of colonization were observed and one measured parameter, successful parasite emergence, significantly improved over time. Decreased density of the host or conspecific female parasites resulted in higher levels of parasitism and numbers of females in the next generation. During 3 different years, colony production was significantly increased with little difficulty to provide parasites for inoculative releases in the field.