Biology and fertility life table of Diabrotica speciosa (Col.: Chrysomelidae) in natural diet

Abstract

Corn rootworm Diabrotica speciosa is an important pest in several crops. The aim of this work was to study the biology of adult D. speciosa and build a fertility life table in the natural diet based on beans, and beans, sliced carrots and honey solution at 10%. The following parameters were: duration of pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition, total fertility, adult longevity and egg viability. For the fertility life table parameters, the following were determined: generation interval (T), net reproductive rate (Ro), intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and finite rate of increase (λ). From the results obtained, it can be observed that there was an influence of food offered to adults for the duration of pre-oviposition and oviposition, and also in total fertility and viability of eggs. Adult longevity was influenced by diet consisting of bean leaflets. Among the treatments, a diet consisting of beans, carrot and honey provided higher significant longevity of males compared to those fed with beans. The results in the fertility table indicated that the reproductive potential of D. speciosa significantly increases in two successive generations when females are fed on beans, carrots and honey, showing there is improved mass rearing for this insect under laboratory conditions.