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
Recommended Citation
Milllanes, Jay-R Madela, "Biology of predatory water bug, Diplonychus rusticus Fabr. (Hemiptera: Belostomatidae) on Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae)" (2013). Undergraduate Theses. 1087.
https://www.ukdr.uplb.edu.ph/etd-undergrad/1087
Document Type
Thesis
Notes
source: ilib only