INFLUENCE OF DIETARY NICOTINE AND COLONY SOURCE OF MANDUCA-SEXTA [LEPIDOPTERA, SPHINGIDAE] ON ITS SUITABILITY AS A HOST OF COTESIA-CONGREGATA [HYMENOPTERA, BRACONIDAE]

Larval tobacco hornworms, Manduca sexta (L.), of 2 different colonies were exposed to parasitism by the gregarious endoparasitoid, Cotesia congregata (Say). A comparison was made of parasitoid larval, pre-pupal, and pupal mortality, female and male dry weight and larval development time. In general, "Maryland" hornworms were more suitable hosts than "North Carolina" hornworms. Although the presence of dietary nicotine increased parasitoid mortality in individuals reared from hornworms of both colonies, the effect was more severe among individuals parasitizing the North Carolina hornworms. © 1990 Lavoisier Abonnements.