Confused Flour Beetle1 Growth and Development Stimulated by Eating Eggs or Adults of the Indian Meal Moth2,3

Abstract

After 16 days of larval growth, females and males of the confused flour beetle, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin duVal, held in the laboratory at 29°C and 60% RH in flour supplemented with eggs of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), weighed 3.55±0.S9 (SE) and 3.33±0.42 mg, respectively; females and males in flour supplemented with dead moths weighed 3.05±0.33 and 2.72±0.17 mg, respectively; and females and males in unsupplemented flour weighed 2.28±0.27 and 1.96±0.22 mg, respectively. Maximum weights of the larvae on the 3 diets did not differ significantly. Males and females did not differ in the length of developmental period, but the developmental period on the 3 diets differed: by the 20th day 50% of the larvae had pupated in flour supplemented with eggs; but it took 22 days for larvae in flour supplemented with moths, and 25 for larvae in unsupplemented flour. Supplemented diets did not affect duration of the prepupal stage (1.1±0.4 days) or pupation (7.2±0.4 days). The 1st day that at least 50% of the adults had emerged was day 28.0±0.6 for larvae in flour with eggs, day 29.0±1.6 for larvae in flour with moths, and day 32.0±1.0 for larvae in unsupplemented flour.