EGG WEIGHT, FECUNDITY, AND LONGEVITY ARE INCREASED BY ADULT FEEDING IN OSTRINIA-NUBILALIS (LEPIDOPTERA, PYRALIDAE)

Two experiments were conducted to assess the influence of sugar and protein foods for adult Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner) females on selected reproductive parameters. Individuals were fed diets of sugar plus protein (fructose-egg-agar) in all possible combinations and diets with one of three sugars (glucose-agar, fructose-agar, sucrose-agar). Free water served as a control in both experiments. Diets with sugars significantly increased oviposition period, fecundity, and adult longevity. Total numbers of eggs and egg masses oviposited were significantly higher in females that received sugar diets. Weight of individual eggs remained constant for females that received a sugar diet but decreased by the 3rd d of oviposition for females that did not receive sugar. Adult nutrition may be an important factor in the population ecology of O. nubilalis.