An Improved Larval Diet for Commercial Mass Rearing of the False Codling Moth,Thaumatotibia leucotreta(Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

Abstract

False codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera:Tortricidae), is endemic to sub-Saharan Africa (Newton 1998). It is a pest of citrus (Newton 1998), stone fruit (Daiber 1978), macadamias (La Croix & Thindwa 1986), avocados (Erichsen & Schoeman 1992) and various other agricultural crops. All available control methods were recently reviewed by Moore & Hattingh (2012). Included amongst these is the use of granulovirus (Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus (CrleGV)) sprays, inundative releases of egg parasitoids and the sterile insect technique (SIT). All of these require production of large numbers of T. leucotreta. CrleGV and the egg parasitoid, Trichogrammatoidea cryptophlebiae (Nagaraja) (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae), are produced in vivo (Moore et al. 2011) and for SIT, the sterilized adult male moth is the product (Hofmeyr et al. 2005).