Effects of entomopathogenic fungi on different developmental stages of Cotesia flavipes (Cam.) a parasitoid of Diatraea flavipennella (Box) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

Biological control using the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Cam.) is one of the main components in the integrated management of the sugarcane moth borer Diatraea spp. Besides this parasitoid, the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill and Metarhizium anisopliae (Metsch.) Sorok. are used to control sugarcane pests, and they can be found naturally parasitizing caterpillars. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of M. anisopliae and B. bassiana on different developmental stages of the C. flavipes parasitoid on Diatraea flavipennella (Box). The experiments were carried at laboratory with isolates PL 43 of M . anisopliae and ESALQ 447 of B. bassiana were applied to the parasitoid at the immature and adult phases. No negative effects were observed on the larval development of C. flavipes , and it could complete its development on caterpillars of D. flavipennella treated with fungi. The fungi did not cause pupal mortality. However, B. bassiana caused high mortality in the adult parasitoid (76%). The fungi had negative effects on parasitoids when applied during certain developmental stages of C. flavipes .