Suppression of Indian Meal Moth (Lepidoptera : Pyralidae) by Iterative Mass Release of Bracon hebetor (Hymenoptera : Braconidae) in Wheat Elevators

Biological control of Indian meat moth (Plodia interpunctella ()) by iterative mass release of its larval parasitoid, Bracon hebetor Say, was tested in a large wheat elevator (diameter 8 m, height 41 m) containing 6,000 t of wheat. Adult parasitoids were released seven times from July 23 to September 3, 2002. The number of parasitoid adults per release time varied from 3,000 to 10,000 so that the total number released was 50,000. The moth population density in the parasitoid-released elevator was maintained at a level of compared to the moth population in untreated elevators.