BIOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF TRICHOGRAMMA AND TELENOMUS AS CONTROL AGENTS OF LEPIDOPTEROUS PESTS

The potential of Trichogramma (Hym., Trichogrammatidae) and Telenomus (Hym., Selionidae) as natural control agents of lepidopterous pests from the viewpoint of their life history strategies are compared by reviewing the literature and more closely examining two case histories. The results suggested that Trichogramma can be a natural control agent when the hosts are present throughout a long growing season, due to the strong intergeneration response of this r-selected parasitoid, while Telenomus can be a natural control agent if hosts are not always present during a long growing season, due to adult longevity and extended fecundity. In general, Telenomus should be a better control agent than Trichogramma in natural regulation of lepidopterous pests partly because it has greater longevity and higher searching ability.