Ovisite preference of Goniozus nephantidis Mues. (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae)

The ovisite preference of Goniozus nephantidis (Hymenoptera; Bethylidae) was studied in relation to its hosts, Opisina arenosella, the coconut pest and Corcyra cephalonica, the flour pest. In both hosts, eggs were laid on all the segments except the first thoracic and the last four abdominal segments. Among the abdominal segments, the most preferred were segments 2 and 3 in the case of O. arenosella and 4 and 5 in the case of C. cephalonica. The percentages of eggs located intrasegmentally were 91.35 and 86.19; those of eggs located intersegmentally were 8.65 and 13.80 in the case of O. arenosella and C. cephalonica respectively. The left side was preferred in each host. In most of the egg clutches on O. arenosella, the head end faced the caudal end of the host; on Corcyra cephalonica, the head end faced the head end of the host.