Diapause in a tropical species, Cothonaspis boulardi (Parasitic hymenoptera)

The strain of Cothonaspis boulardi originating from a field collection at Guadeloupe (16° lat. N-West Indies) exhibits a facultative diapause that occurs at the final larval instar. The diapause was induced by low temperature (17.5° C) and was inhibited at 25° C. Diapause was independent of photoperiod. The termination of diapause was hastened in about 10 days by exposing larvae to a temperature of 25° C. Although a succession of sufficient cold days for diapause occurs only rarely in the collection area (Petit-Bourg), at higher elevations within 20 km of Petit-Bourg conditions that could induce diapause occur annually.