HOST FINDING BEHAVIOUR BY COTESIA DIURNII RAO & NIKAM (HYMENOPTERA : BRACONIDAE) A PARASITOID OF EXELASTIS ATOMOSA WALSINGHAM (LEPIDOPTERA : PTEROPHORIDAE)

The experiments were conducted in order to investigate the factors that are responsible for parasitization behaviour of female C diurnii. When the host food plant flower buds, pods damaged by the host larvae, intact host larva, host larval saliva, host larval faeces and host larval extracts treated with ether were exposed, female parasitoids showed searching and stabbing intention movements. While for the host food plant's healthy flower buds and pods, etc. they did not show stabbing intention movements. The odour was mainly responsible for searching followed by stabbing intention movements. The olfactory stimuli plays major role compared to visual in attracting a female parasitoid towards a host larva.