An artificial diet for propagating the wasp ectoparasitoid, Catolaccus grandis (Burks) was developed; it has been submitted to the U.S. Patent Office for disclosure. Based on quotations from Sigma chemical company, ingredient costs for this diet were $ 7.94 and $ 7.40/1000 female parasitoids for liquid and solid diets, respectively. Substitution of less refined ingredients in the solid diet reduced the cost to $ 5.45/1000 female parasitoids. Performance of these diet-reared parasitoids in the field was as good or better than the parasitoids reared on the defined diet or boll weevil larvae. Projected cost of parasitoids mass propagated on diet purchased in bulk is expected to be at least one-half (near $ 2.50/1000 females) the cost of parasitoids propagated small scale in the laboratory. Consequently, at the maximum (3,000 females/acre), the cost for the diet-propagated parasites would be about $ 7.50/acre.