Abstract
The aim of this work was to study biological aspects and the life cycle of Hylesia Metapyrrha in a laboratory. Laboratorial breeding was made at 25 +/- 1 degrees C, 70 +/- 10% UR and 14 hours of photophase, feeding the larvae with guava leaves (Psidium guayava L. - Myrtaceae). Time was evaluated on the days of all the development stages; morphometry was evaluated in millimeters and the pupas mass in grams. The eggs were disposed in groups and covered by urticating abdominal hair. The incubation period lasted 52 days. The larvae, with gregarious habits, presented background black coloration, yellowish scoli and two orange longitudinal lines above and below the spiracles, during the development which lasted an average period of 74.59 days and went through seven instars. The pre-pupa and the pupa stages lasted on average 8.82 and 50.56 days, respectively; the female pupae presented a duration, weight and size which was significantly bigger. The adult stage lasted on average 5.50 days with periods of pre, post and oviposition of 2.30, 1.90 and 1.00 days, respectively. This study broadens the knowledge of the immature stages, biological, morphological and behavioral aspects, until then restricted to the morphology and to registers of the occurrence of the adult forms.
Highlights
Some lepidoptera are important to human health due to the effects caused by the toxic substances that are produced and inoculated by their larvae as well as by the hair found on the abdomen of the adult females that cause dermatitis known as erucism and lepidopterism, respectively
The Hylesia Hübner (1820) genus presents 110 species, and is the second most diverse of the subfamily (Lemaire, 2002). It is well-known from a medical point of view as, besides the larvae having urticating action, the adult females have abdominal hair that detaches very causing allergic reactions (Rotberg, 1971, Haddad and Cardoso, 2003)
Breeding, which was done at the Laboratório de Biologia CARVI/UCS at 25 ± 1 °C, 70 ± 10% UR and 14 hours of photophase, started with two eggs laid by a female collected by the first author in Caxias do Sul, RS on March 10, 2004
Summary
Some lepidoptera are important to human health due to the effects caused by the toxic substances that are produced and inoculated by their larvae as well as by the hair found on the abdomen of the adult females that cause dermatitis known as erucism and lepidopterism, respectively. Among the Saturniidae, the Hemileucinae subfamily stands out as it has the greatest diversity of species of medical importance. The Hylesia Hübner (1820) genus presents 110 species, and is the second most diverse of the subfamily (Lemaire, 2002). It is well-known from a medical point of view as, besides the larvae having urticating action, the adult females have abdominal hair that detaches very causing allergic reactions (Rotberg, 1971, Haddad and Cardoso, 2003)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
