Multicellular Rearing Methods for the Beet Armyworm, Soybean Looper, and Velvetbean Caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

Methods used for rearing Heliothis spp. larvae in a multicellular container were modified for rearing beet armyworm (BAW), Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), soybean looper (SBL), Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), and velvetbean caterpillar (VBC), Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner). Polyester-cotton cloth used for Heliothis oviposition was unsatisfactory for BAW, SBL, and VBC. A polyester-cotton cloth with a dimpled surface was discovered which was suitable for all three species. Beet armyworm eggs were removed from the oviposition cloth and disinfected with sodium hypochlorite. This procedure could not be used for SBL or VBC as it resulted in significant reduction in egg hatch. New methods were developed for placing BAW, SBL, and VBC eggs into a multicellular container. A separator and high volume blower used to harvest Heliothis pupae was also used to harvest BAW and VBC pupae. SBL pupae, because of webbing spun by the larvae prior to pupation, could not be harvested in this manner. A pupal harvest method was developed for SBL. A phosphoric-propionic acid mix incorporated into the larval diet controlled contaminants. These procedures have been used since 1986 at Stoneville and more than ¾ million pupae and 100 million eggs were reared in 1987 and 1988.