Rearing of mango stem borer, Batocera rufomaculata De Geer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on artificial diet

An artificial diet mainly comprising gram powder, host stem powder and other nutritional components was standardized to rear the larval stage of mango stem borer, Batocera rufomaculata De Geer (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) at ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, India. The exponential increase was observed in the body weight and length of the grub in artificial diet at fortnightly interval. Adults emerged 10 days after pupation and per cent pupation was 83.3 and adult emergence was 33.3 percent. Adults were robust and active with a mean body length and width of 4.5 and 1. 5 cm respectively.