The influence of thermal regime on the biotechnological process of multiplication of parazit Bracon hebetor (SAY, 1836)

The entomophagous Bracon hebetor is a larval endoparasitoid with ontogenetic development strictly dependent on the thermal regime. Investigations carried out under controlled conditions have demonstrated that the optimal thermal range for the development of immature stages is 25-27°C, in which the life cycle is completed in 12-15 days. At temperatures of 15-17°C, development is significantly slowed down, extending the ontogenetic cycle to approximately 32 days. At extreme thermal values of 10°C and 32°C, no adult emergence was recorded. The hatching, larval development and pupation stages showed significant variations depending on the thermal regime, highlighting the thermal susceptibility of the entomophagous. The results obtained demonstrate that the range of 25-27°C constitutes the optimal thermal range for the efficient reproduction and multiplication of the B. hebetor species in a biotechnological context.