Effects of Some Antibiotics on Survival and Development of the Endoparasitoid Pimpla turionellae L. (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Authors: Kemal BÜYÜKGÜZEL, Şevki YAZGAN

Abstract: The effects of three different groups of antibotics, penicillin, streptomycin and rifampicin, on the survival and development of a hymenopterous endoparasitoid, Pimpla turionellae L., were investigated by rearing the larvae aseptically on chemically-defined synthetic diets. The antibiotics tested were effective on survival and development of the insect. They exerted their effects mostly during the post-larval developmental stages. These effects, in general, were increased by increasing dietary levels. Larvae were able to complete their development up to adult instar on diets with all tested levels of either penicillin or streptomycin; whereas they were not able to complete this development on diets which contained more than 50 mg/100 ml diet of rifampicin. Rifampicin produced more severe effects than penicillin or streptomycin. It showed its effect in the early developmental stages of the insect. The yield of adults was decreased by about 80 percent by the lowest dietary level of rifampicin, while it was decreased by about 50 percent by the same level of penicillin or streptomycin. Streptomycin had a stimulative effect on food consumption of the larvae.

Keywords: Antibiotics, Development, Survival, Pimpla, Endoparasitoid