Bionomics of Batocera rufomaculata De Geer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in mulberry farms of Jammu and Kashmir, India
Abstract
Investigations on the bionomics of Batocera rufomaculata De Geer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in mulberry farms revealed an annual life cycle of the beetle with an adult emergence period of over four months from May to September, adult emergence started in May, peaked in June and ended in August. Adults required maturation feeding period of 14.00 ± 0.561 days. Sexually mature beetles mated promiscuously and copulation period averaged 60.50 ± 6.23 seconds. Females deposited eggs singly into the bark of host plants with an average daily and life time fecundity of 1.27 and 148.66 eggs respectively. Eggs hatched in 10.20 ± 1.25 days and larvae developed through 9 instars in 253.35 ± 4.37 days. Ultimate larval instar pupated in the pupal cells; adults emerged from the pupal cells after 27.5 ± 1.35 days through circular emergence holes. Larvae as well as adults caused damage to the host plants; the latter compensated the damage caused by adults to some extent by sprouting lateral buds but larvae caused irreparable damage leading to death of the host.
Keywords
Bionomics, Batocera rufomaculata, Mulberry farms, Jammu and Kashmir
