Effects of starvation and differential feeding on boiled and normal seeds of lady's finger on the developmental biology of Dysdercus koenigii Fab. (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae)

The effects of starvation, partial starvation (feeding for different days on lady's finger seeds), boiled seed, normal seed and under feeding were studied on the red cotton bug, Dysdercus koenigii Fab. for four successive generations at 75 ± 5% R.H. and 28± 2°C in the laboratory. Fecundity, fertility (%), life span of female (days) and survival rate (per cent mortality) fell following total starvation, I-day-feeding, 4-day-feeding, feeding on abnormal diet, under feeding, and normal feeding; being respectively 4.22, 0, 10.45, and 100; 4.12, 0, 11.32 and 96.21; 93.82, 49.12, 14.25 and 74.23; 96.82, 50.12, 22.42 and 35.23; 94.62, 49.34, 23.26, and 34.32;, 152.63, 88.12, 28.42 and 0 according to the degree of starvation and continued across generations. Also, there was reduction in general vigour, reproductive rate and mating aggressivity but there was an increase in fluttering and egg length. Following total starvation, I-day-feeding, 4-day-feeding, feeding on abnormal diet, under feeding (0.2 seed/individual) and normal diet, the egg length was respectively 1240.26, 1242.23, 1216.34, 1214.52, 1210.32 and 1156.54μ. Under feeding and abnormal diet (boiled seed) produced effects analogous to partial starvation.