Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

BIOLOGY AND LARVAL HOST PLANT SPECIFICITY OF FRUIT SUCKING MOTH, EUDOCIMA MATERNA LINNAEAUS

P.N. Magar, S.R. Kulkarni, S. K. Patil and A.S. Damre

Abstract

The studies on biology and larval host plants of fruit sucking moth, Eudocima materna was conducted at Insect Culture Laboratory, Department of Entomology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri at 28 ± 2°C temperature. The female moths laid eggs singly and loosely on the cloths of cages. The egg laying capacity of female was 597 - 802 eggs per female. The average diameter of an egg was 0.98 mm. The average incubation period was 2.65 days. Five larval instars were reported with an average of 2.21, 1.72, 2.57, 4.02 and 4.22 days, respectively. The total larval period ranged from 11.5 - 18.5 days with an average of 14.74 days. The length of larva increased from 3.92 mm to 49.08 mm and weight increased from 1 mg to 2.30 g during the entire larval period. The average pupal period was 13.4 days. The egg to adult emergence period was 31.18 days. However, the average longevity of male and female moth was 30.53 days and 31.40 days, respectively. The total life period of male varied from 52.0 days to 70.5 days with an average of 61.25 days. While in female, it ranged from 53.0 to 73.5 days with an average of 63.25 days. The larvae of E. materna survived and completed its development only on Tinospora species i.e. found to be monophagous on Tinospora. However, the larvae did not feed even on tender leaves of other menispermaceae test plants and Erythrina sp.under no choice tests.