the objective of this work was to evaluate the parasitism capacity of trichogramma pretiosum riley and t. acacioi brun, moraes and soares (hymenoptera: trichogrammatidae) in eggs of the alternative host sitotroga cerealella (olivier) (lepidoptera: gelechiidae) aiming to use both species in biological control programs of nipteria panacea tierry-mieg (lepidoptera: geometridae). the parasitism rhythm and total parasitism of these parasitoid species were affected by the temperature with higher values during the first 24 h of their life. parasitism period was longer for t. pretiosum and t. acacioi at the lowest temperature.
