OVIPOSITION BEHAVIOUR IN CAMPOLETIS CHLORIDEAE UCHIDA, A PARASITOID OF HELICOVERPA ARMIGERA (HUBN.)

Campoletis chlorideae Uchida (Parasitic Hymenoptera: lchneumonidae) ¡s a potential biocontrol agent of gram pod borer Helicoverpa armigera (Hubn.). Therefore, oviposition behaviour was studied in the parasitoid. Oviposition consisted following chain of behaviours viz, attraction of host, recognition, antennal examination of larva, up and down movements of abdomen, ovipositor thrusting, ovipositor insertion and actual oviposition towards its host. The female parasitoid after locating the host, tapped its antenna and determined the suitable host, searching of suitable host was continued, after discrimination she thrusted her ovipositor in any of the first three abdominal segments for a second or two. Female oviposited once or twice in a host larva and discriminated larva parasitized or non parasitized. Oviposition lasted 2-3 seconds after 20-25 minutes of copulation.