CONSUMPTION AND UTILIZATION OF SOYFLOUR-WHEAT GERM DIETS BY HELIOTHIS-SPP (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE)

Larvae of H. zea (Boddie) (Noctuidae) consumed significantly more of a soybean flour-wheat germ diet than did larvae of H. virescens (F.) or backcross larvae of male H. virescens .times. Fn female progeny from a cross between male H. virescens and female H. subflexa (Guenee). H. zea larvae also gained significantly more wt. Differences in food consumption or wt gain between H. virescens and backcross larvae were not significant. When corn cob grits were added to the soybean flour-wheat germ diet and the soybean flour content was nearly doubled, the 2 spp. and the backcross used food more efficiently and gained more wt. Heliothis spp. reared on a soybean flour-wheat germ diet containing corn cob grits prepared with either high or low amounts of agar had similar growth and development parameters, but larval survival was lower with the lesser agar.