Use of Low Temperature Storage to Preserve Host and Parasitoid to Improve the Rearing of Telenomus podisi (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) on Euschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Eggs

Successful parasitoid rearing is crucial for augmentative biological control. A low temperature preservation protocol allowing the availability of host and parasitoid year-round was evaluated in this study in four bioassays: (1) host eggs [Euschistus heros (Fabricius)] stored at − 196, − 80, and − 20°C for up to 70 days prior to exposure to Telenomus podisi Ashmead parasitism; (2) Euschistus heros eggs removed from storage at − 196°C after 70 days and kept at 5°C for up to 9 days prior to exposure to T. podisi parasitism; (3) Telenomus podisi adult emergence of insects stored as pupae at 5°C; and (4) fitness of adults of T. podisi stored at 5°C. Higher parasitism was observed in parasitoids reared on E. heros eggs stored at − 196 and − 80°C. Host eggs removed from − 196°C and stored at 5°C for up to 6 days did not impact T. podisi parasitism and development. Storage of T. podisi pupae for more than 7 days negatively affected parasitoid biology. Storing T. podisi adults at 5°C for up to 6 days does not alter the biological parameters of the parasitoid. Thus, parasitoids can be stored as pupae or adults as well as its host E. heros eggs. Our findings can be applied to improve the feasibility of year-round insect production.