The objective of this work was to evaluate the capacity of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) to attack fruit fly larvae in commercial guava orchards in Jaiba and Nova Porteirinha, in the north of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. A total of 34,000 parasitoids couples was released in each one of the two orchards from February to August/2003. To recover the parasitoids, guavas (green or mature) were collected from any height of the trees, beyond the fruits just-fallen on the ground, seven day after the release. The fruits were taken to the laboratory and kept under controlled conditions of temperature (27 ± 1ºC), to obtain pupae. Thirty seven specimens of D. longicaudata were recovered (24 in Jaiba and 13 in Nova Porteirinha) This shows that the species completed its life cycle under local conditions and indicates the possibility of its establishment in the region.
Insecta; fruit fly; biological control; Psydium guajava
