Mating and oviposition behaviour of rice hispa, Dicladispa armigera (olivier) (coleopetra: Chrysomelidae)

Rice hispa, [Dicladispa armigera (Olivier] attained its sexual maturity on 3.06± 0.16 days after emergence as adult. The adult female mated irregularly more than once during her life time and mating period and frequency decreased with the age. Rice hispa mated 1–4 time in a day and it continued without any break for 6.1± 0.41 days with duration 2.03± 0.09h per copulation and spent 17.80± 2.01days in mating with utilizing 91.30± 6.74h in their life with a frequency of 47.30± 6.49. The eggs were laid singly within the epidermal layers of leaves and maximum oviposition occurred during night time (23: 00–03: 00h). The pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition period were 3.60± 0.16, 14.10± 2.18 and 17.00± 1.54 days, respectively. The male adult was short lived 25.10± 3.02 days as compared to female 34.70± 1.81 days.