Relationships between Pupal Size and Egg Production in Reared Female Antheraea polyphemus12

Abstract

In female Antheraea polyphemus (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), most eggs in the ovaries were mature at adult emergence; the number of mature eggs (NME) was highly correlated with total eggs (r2 = 0.96); immature eggs in the ovaries were significantly smaller than mature eggs or deposited eggs; and mature eggs and deposited eggs did not differ significantly in size. Pupal weight (WT) was determined to be the best estimator of NME (NME = 22.24 + 45.87 WT); r2 = 0.78.