Tuta absoluta eggs were evaluated as
host for Trichogramma evanescens with the
aim of using indigenous species for biological
control of the South American tomato
moth. After being proved that T. evanescens
could parasitize and achieve the complete
development inside this host, parasitism
rate, proportion of eggs within the parasitoid
that reach the adult stage and viability
of development rate, at three different temperatures
(22.0ºC, 24.0ºC and 25.5ºC) were
evaluated. Parasitism rate and the proportion
of eggs with emerging hole were calculated
as number of parasitized eggs and number
of eggs with emerging holes, respectively,
by the number of viable eggs. The viability
of parasitoid development until adult stage
was calculated as number of eggs with
emerging hole/number of parasitized eggs.
T. evanescens parasitized T. absoluta eggs
at all the studied temperatures. Parasitism
rate and proportion of eggs with emerging
holes were higher at 22.0ºC; viability of development
till adult was higher at 24.0ºC