Introduction into Israel ofTrichogramma platneri Nagarkatti,an egg parasite of Lepidoptera

Trichogramma platneri Nagarkatti (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) was recently introduced into Israel to improve the control of two lepidopterous pests,Boarmia selenaria (Schiffermiiller) andCryptoblabes gnidiella (Millière). Laboratory tests showed thatT. platneri attacks the eggs of both species. A method of freezing the eggs of the host,Ephestia cautella (Walker), at -20°C and gradual defrosting, used in the large laboratory breedings of the parasites, is described briefly. In laboratory tests 68.5% of the frozenE. cautella eggs, after 2 months of storage, were parasitized, compared with 70.3% of the fresh eggs.