author(s)
BL Manisha and M Visalakshi

abstract
The basic aim of mass production of any parasitoid is the quality production of natural enemies at quicker and economical rates. Trichogramma chilonis is generally mass reared on the factitious host Corcyra cephalonica, but eri silkworm, Samia cynthia ricini, is one of the most exploited, domesticated and commercialized non mulberry silkworm. It is also used as an alternate host for multiplication of Trichogramma chilonis. The present study mainly focuses on observing the differences in the biology of different stages i.e., egg, larva, pupa and adult in both rice moth and eri silkworm to choose the best alternate host for T. chilonis multiplication. In case of eri silkworm the incubation period of eri silkworm egg was observed as 6-7 days, On the other hand incubation duration of rice moth egg was observed as 3-4 days. The larval, pupal duration, total life cycle period of eri silkworm was observed as 25, 15-19, 46 -51 days. Where as the rice moth larval pupal duration, total life cycle period period were observed as 23, 10, 36 days. Which indicated that duration of life cycle of rice moth was shorter when compared to eri silkworm and it was mostly preferred for parasitization by T. chilonis.