Abstract
In order to establish an in vitro rearing method for an endoparasitic fly, Exorista sorbillans, various liquid media originally formulated for parasitoid rearing or for insect cell cultures were tested. About 50% of parasitoid larvae molted to the 2nd instar in the basic medium, an insect cell culture medium, MGM450, when it was fortified with 10% Bombyx mori hemolymph and 10% fetal bovine serum, whereas fewer or no larvae did so in the parasitoid rearing media formulated by other workers. Qualitative and quantitative differences were observed in hemolymph amino acids between parasitized and unparasitized 7-d-old 5th instar larvae of the host, B. mori. Heat-treated hemolymph of the host alone enabled the parasitoid larvae to develop to the pupal stage. Among the hemolymph samples taken from host larvae during the first 4 d of the 5th instar, the sample obtained from 4-d-old 5th instar larvae proved to be the best medium, and it sustained the development of larvae to the pupal stage. When such hemolymph was mixed with a modified melon fly diet or with wheat bran, some individuals of E. sorbillans completed development to the adult stage.
