This document provides information about rearing the Braconid wasp Bracon hebetor. It discusses the life cycle and biology of B. hebetor, describing its parasitism of hosts like the Indian meal moth and wax moth. The document outlines techniques for mass rearing B. hebetor, including using last instar wax moth or Indian meal moth larvae as hosts in plastic jars, providing honey solution as food and allowing the wasps to parasitize, lay eggs on, and develop within the host larvae. Rearing is done at optimal temperature, humidity and photoperiod conditions to support the full life cycle from egg to adult wasp.

2. Rearing of
Braconid Wasp
Presented by:
1.M Bilal Tayyab
2.Maryam Riaz
3.Sidra Naz
4.Sadia Wahid
5.Zubair Shehzad

3. Outline
Introduction to Braconids
Introduction to Bracon hebetor
Rearing Techniques of Braconids
Mass Rearing of Bracon hebetor on wax moth
Mass Rearing of Bracon hebetor on Meal Moth
Conclusion

4. Introduction to Braconids
 The Braconidae is one of the
famous family among the families
of parasitoid wasp.
 After the Ichneumonidae, braconidae
is the second largest family in the
order Hymenoptera.
 Approximately 17,000 recognized
species and many thousands more are
undescribed.

5. Classification
Braconidae divide at present into about 47 subfamilies
and over 1000 genra.Which includes Aphidius,
Apenteles, Bracon, Cotesia, and Opius
Hosts
Thousands species of insects are used as hosts by
braconid wasps.
Few examples are given below :
Asian Corn Borer African Sugarcane Borer Tomato Hornworm

6. Bracon Hebetor
Bracon hebetor is a minute Braconidae wasp.
It is an internal parasite to
•The caterpillar stages of Plodia interpunctella (Indian
Meal Moth)
• In the larval stage of Mediterranean flour moth
• The almond moth and many others

7. Life Cycle & Biology
At 30 ºC, The Life cycle of the wasp is about 10-
13 days from initial parasitism to final
emergence of the adult.
The adult female parasite lives about 23 days
and lays about 100 eggs.
It deposits 1-8 eggs in moth larvae.

8. •Freshly laid eggs are creamy white and translucent later.
•Eggs are spindle shape, slightly curved and loosely
attached to the surface of the host body 0.6mm long.
•Hatch in 1-2 days.
Life Cycle & Biology

9. •The mature larvae are creamy white in colour.
•Lives inside the host body.
•The length of larvae is 0.4mm.
•The larval duration is 2-4 days.
Life Cycle & Biology

10.  Pupation takes place outside the host body
with in a white coloured cocoon.
 The mature pupae are dark brown
 The length of pupal cocoon is 3.3-4.1mm
 The pupal duration is 4-6 days.
Life Cycle & Biology

11. Adult: The color variation is yellowish is brown to
dark brown or black.
The body length of female is larger than male.
The length of adult male is 2-3mm and female is
about 3-4mm.
Male has large antennae.
Life Cycle & Biology
Male
Female

12. Hosts
Lepidopteran species
Indian Meal Moth
Mediterranean flour moth
Almond moth
Rice moth
Wax moth
Angoumois grain moth
Corn earworm
Tobacco budworm

13. Indian Meal Moth
Mediterranean
flour moth
Rice MothAngoumois grain moth
Wax Moth
Almond Moth
(Larva)
Hosts

14. Mode of Action
•Bracon hebetor larva releases an enzyme in gut
of caterpillar.
•It destroys the blood protiens and body fluid of
that larve.

15. Economic Importance
It is the biological control of a large number of
moth larvae of stored grain and crop insect
pests.

16. REARING ON WAX MOTH
 Habrobracon hebetor is an ecto
parsitoid that attacks many
species, greatly wax moth larvae.
 One of the best studied parasitic
wasp in storage areas.
 Paralyzing the free living larvae
by sting, after that immediately
stop eating.
 In this way parasitic wasp secure
many larvae and then starts egg
laying.

17.  Galleria mellonella (wax moth) is an
important pest of the honey bee.
 Larval stage of wax moth feed on honey, pollen and wax
produced by honey bees.
 Wax moth is used in entomological studies because of its
nutritional needs, ecological adaptation and developmental
characteristics.
 Use as a host for rearing many hymenoptera species.

18. METHOD OF REARING
 Maas rearing of Bracon hebetor undertakes in laboratory.
 Last instar (5th-6th instars) larvae of wax moth are released into
the plastic 1000ml jars at 200 larvae/jar.
 A paper sheet is placed in the jar for pupation.
 Full fed larvae took position onto the corrugated paper sheet.
 About 50 B hebetor (35 female ,15 male) released in plastic jar
 Honey solution on cotton bolls is provided as food.

19.  The opening of the jar closed with black cloth.
 The wax moth larvae and B. hebetor are kept on for 8-10
days.
 For paralyzing, parasitizing, ovipositing and subsequently
pupation followed by adult.
 Female bracon lay its eggs on the outside of larval body.
 Young wasp larvae feed on the moth larva of which only
the dried up shell remains.
 Afterwards, the wasp larvae form mini silk cocoons from
which a new generation of beneficial insects hatches.
 25-30 C temperature is required for rearing purpose.

20. .
.
Rearing of Bracon
hebetor on Indian Meal
Moth
(Plodia interpunctella)

21. INTRODUCTION
(INDIAN MEAL MOTH)
 Indian meal moth IMM is a very destructive pest of many
stored grain products.
T.N : Plodia interpunctella
(Pyrallidae; Lepidoptera)
Alternate names are:
( Weevile moth, Flour moth and Pantry moth)
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Plodia
interpunctella

22. INTRO…
 Bracon hebetor is reared on Indian Meal Moth (Plodia
interpunctella) in labouratory.
 Considered as bio-control agent of P. interpunctella.
 Generally IMM is parasitized by female Bracon hebetor,
moth larvae are used as food for developing Bracon
hebetor
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23. ORIGIN AND REQUIRMENTS OF
PARASITOID
 Bracon hebetor is collected from the stored grain
products associated with Indian Meal Moth.
 Parasitoids: mass reared on last instar of IMM.
Physical Requirements
 Temperature =29 oC Relative Humidity = 60-70%
 Photo-period= 14:10 (L:D)

24. HOST REQUIREMENTS
 Reared on standardize diet of
Corn meal
Chick laying mash
Chick starter mash
Glycerol
Ratio 4:2:2:1
 Temperature= 28+1 Relative Humidity= 60-70%
 Photoperiod = 16:8 (L:D)

25. REARING PROCESS
Bracon hebetor
 Kept in plastic yogurt cubs that are fitted into Glass jar.
 Metal screen are used for
Better aeration
Safe & easy handling
 Aeration is also necessary for controlling the grain
temperature.

26. MECHANISM OF PARASITIZING
THE HOST
 Sting the host
 Paralyze the host
 Oviposition on/near the body of host
White cylinder shaped eggs, singly in variable
numbers.
 Fourish on host body( last-instar larvae)
 Color changed from greenish/pinkish to brown
 Kill the host

27. MECHANISM
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1
2
3
45
sting
Egg laid
paralyze
Color changekilled

28. AUGMENTATIVE RELEASE
 Stick eggs on cardboard and sticky bands.
 Kept these sticky bands in stored grain bins
 After emergence, they paralyze and kill the host.
 Female significantly parasitize the host (Plodia
interpunctella).
Greater the no. of host greater will be the rate of
parasitoids and parasitism.