Biology of Poecilocerus pictus Fabr. (Orthoptera: Pygomorphidae) on the basis of its nutritional ecology
Abstract
Poecilocerus pictus Fabr. when reared on its primary host plant Calotropis gigantea, completes its life history from first instar to adult in 104–130 days. On its auxiliary host plant, Millingtonia hortensis, its development did not proceed beyond the second instar in the case of males, and third instar in females. The mortality rate remained high and the quantum of faecal pellets released was low when allowed to feed on the auxiliary host plant. The stadia1 period of the surviving larvae continued indefinitely. This occurred in spite of significantly higher protein and carbohydrate contents of the auxiliary host plant leaves, their fed insect tissue, and their faecal pellets when compared with those fed on the principal host plant.
