Biology of predatory water bug, Diplonychus rusticus Fabr. (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) on Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae)

Date

4-2013

Degree

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture

Major Course

Major in Entomology

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Adviser/Committee Chair

Pio A. Javier

Abstract

The biology of Diplonyhcus rusticus Fabricius (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) on Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae) was studied under laboratory conditions. D. rusticus exhibited paurometabolous type of development passing through the egg, nymph and adult stages. An adult female laid about 6 to 14 egg batches with an average of 55.95 ± 2.36 eggs per batch. The egg has an incubation period ranging from 8 to 11 days with a mean of 9.28 ± 0.06 days and 70.78 % hatchability. The nymph has five instars before reaching the adult stage. The mean durations of the different instars were: 4.62 ± 0.16 days, 4.22 ± 0.15 days, 5.24 ± 0.24 days, 8.06 ± 0.58 days and 15.86 ± 0.61 days, respectively, for the first, second, third, fourth and fifth instars. The developmental period was 28 to 54 days (x̅ = 38.14 ± 0.85 days). Female longevity ranged from 110 to 283 days (x̅ = 199.1 ± 12.80 days) while from 115 to 282 days (x̅ = 210.65 ± 14.65 days) for males. D. rusticus was found to be a voracious predator of A. aegypti in the laboratory. The mean consumption rates per day for the first, second, third, fourth and fifth instars were 10.0 ± 0.35 wrigglers, 17.22 ± 0.31 wrigglers, 36.48 ± 0.73 wrigglers, 98.18 ± 2.89 wrigglers and 171.88 ± 4.23 wrigglers, respectively. On the other hand, adult D. rusticus can consume 112 to 300 wrigglers per day with an average of 206.54 ± 6.66 wrigglers.

Language

English

Location

UPLB Main Library Special Collections Section (USCS)

Call Number

LG 993.5 2013 E75 M55

Notes

source: ilib only

Document Type

Thesis

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