Studies on Life Fecundity Table of Pomegranate Butterfly, Deudorix isocrates Fabricius

The life-table studies on pomegranate butterfly, Deudorix isoerates, an important widespread pest of pomegranate, were carried out at the ambient temperature of 28±4°C with RH of 71 ± 16% and 62±19% (at morning and afternoon, respectively) to determine its reproductive potential. The total expected life (e_x) of the pest was observed to be 35.7 days. The net reproductive rate (R) was 9.69 females within the generation period (T) of 37.23 days. The innate capacity for increase (R_m) and finite rate of increase (λ) of pomegranate butterfly were found to be 0.061 and 1.063 females/day, respectively with a weekly multiplication rate of 1.534 times. The % contribution of eggs, larvae, pupae and adults were 45.47, 35.23, 12.25 and 7.05, respectively at stable age distribution of the insect.