The biological characteristics of five lineages of T. pretiosum Riley (Hym.: Trichogrammatidae), collected from tomato crops, and reared in A. kuehniella (Zeller) and S. cerealella (Olivier) eggs were evaluated. The parasitism rate of the lineages, varied from 56,1 to 68.6%, when the host was A. kuehniella, being higher than for S. cerealella. The viability of all lineages, when reared in S. cerealella eggs, was superior to 90%; however, only those lineages reared in S. cerealella eggs and collected in Afonso Cláudio and Venda Nova dos Imigrantes (Espirito Santo State, Brazil) were significantly higher than those reared on A. kuehniella. The longevity of the offspring submitted to the parasitism, was higher in all the lineages reared in A. kuehniella eggs. All five lineages can be mass reared using both hosts. However, considering the parasitism rate and the quality of the progeny, the host A. kuehniella seems to be superior than S. cerealella
Lycopersicon esculentum; tomato; biological control; massal rearing; host egg parasitoid
