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Studies on Beetles of the Family Ptinidae*

V.—The Oviposition Rate of Ptinus tectus Boield. under natural Conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

R. W. Howe
R. W. Howe
Affiliation:
Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Pest Infestation Laboratory, Slough, Bucks.
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Extract

An account is given of an attempt to estimate changes in the rate of egg laying in a warehouse and in an unheated outbuilding at the laboratory. Small samples of food were placed on pieces of newspaper on the floor, and were renewed regularly, weekly or fortnightly in the warehouse and daily at the laboratory. Larvae were bred from these food samples and counted.

The rate of oviposition was found to depend on temperature, especially in winter, and on relative humidity, especially in summer. It was seldom cold enough indoors, in unheated premises, to prevent oviposition entirely for more than a few days at a time, 5°C. being the approximate minimum temperature for oviposition. It was never so dry at the laboratory that egg laying stopped but this did happen at the warehouse in July, 1946. Free drinking water is necessary for continued oviposition and this was available from rain in both buildings.

Darkness causes an increase in activity and in oviposition and most of the eggs in the foods supplied were laid at night. Foods placed near the daytime hiding places of adults were most used for oviposition.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 42 , Issue 2 , September 1951 , pp. 445 - 453
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1951

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References

Ewer, D. W. & Ewer, R. F. (1942). The biology and behaviour of Plinus tectus Boie. (Coleoptera, Ptinidae) a pest of stored products. III. The effect of temperature and humidity on oviposition, feeding and duration of life cycle.—J. exp. Biol., 18, pp. 290–305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Howe, R. W. (1950). Studies on beetles of the family Ptinidae. III. A two- year study of the distribution and abundance of Ptinus tectus Boield. in a warehouse.—Bull. ent. Res., 41, pp. 371–394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pradhan, S. (1946). Insect population studies. III. Idea of biograph and biometer (instruments for estimating developmental periods and number of generations of insects in nature).—Proc. nat. Inst. Sci. India, 12, pp. 301–314.Google Scholar