Development and Evaluation of Diets for Rearing Cadra Cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and Corcyra cephalonica (Stainton) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) using Readily-available Materials

Abstract

Cadra cautella and Corcyra cephalonica are economicallyimportant stored-product pests. Mass culturing of these species is a requirement to have them in sufficient numbers to be used in experiments. While the diet has a direct influence on the development and performance of the larvae and emerging moths, there are limitations associated with the currently-used rearing media. The objective of this research was to develop a suitable rearing medium for C. cautella and C. cephalonica using readily-available food materials at the market. Food materials were mixed in different combinations and the larvae were introduced. Nine diets for C. cautella and ten diets for C. cephalonica were tested. The eggs of a particular moth species were introduced into each replicate medium. The larvae were weighed at 17 and 21 days following egg introduction The total duration of adult emergence and the number of F2 generation larvae produced by one adult moth in each diet were also recorded. The measurements varied across the media used. Honey and glycerol when combined with red-rice or rice-flour + riceflakes + dog-food integration gave highest performance in C. cautella. For C. cephalonica, the best medium was honey and glycerol combined with rice-flour, rolled oats and mung bean. Our study highlights the successful development of new diets for efficient rearing C. cautella and C. cephalonica using food ingredients readily available at the local market.