Abstract
Rubidium (Rb) chloride was incorporated into artificial diet at concentrations of 0, 600, 3,000, and 6,000 mg Rb/liter diet and fed to larvae of tufted apple bud moth, Platynota idaeusalis (Walker). Fifth instars, pupae, male and female adults, unhatched and hatched egg masses, and unhatched egg masses from reciprocal matings of marked and unmarked adults were analyzed for rubidium content. In addition, the effects of Rb on larval and pupal development and adult female fecundity and longevity were measured. All life stages from labeled diet were successfully marked at all three concentrations. The influence of males reared on rubidium-enriched diet was significant in marking unhatched egg masses laid by females reared on control diet. Significant effects were found for the highest rubidium concentration on larval development and adult female longevity and fecundity. A concentration in larval diet of 3,000 mg Rb/liter (17,700 μg/g dry wt) was selected for future field releases of adults to study adult female movement within fruit orchards.
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