Quantitative study of food consumption, assimilation and growth in Creatonotos transiens Walker (Lepidoptera: arctiidae) on Paulownia fortunei

Larvae of Creatonotos transiens consume Paulownia fortunei foliage at the rate 152.58 mg per day. The rate of weight gain during the larval developmental period was 28.26 mg per day. C. transiens exhibited efficiency of conversion of ingested food as 23.98%, approximate digestibility as 68.94% and efficiency of conversion of digested food as 34.98%. The high value of approximate digestibility of C. transiens reflects the compatibility between the insect and its exotic host plant.