Formosan Entomologist (2001) 21, 221-236

Yu-Chang Liu and Ming-Ying Lin (2001)
The development, longevity, fecundity and population parameters of Bactrocera tau (Diptera: Tephritidae) on various host fruits and artificial diet, and the female's oviposition behavior
Formosan Entomologist 21 (3), 221-236
Abstract: The developmental time of the immature stage of Bactrocera tau reared on balsam pear, muskmelon and sponge gourd were 19.20, 19.75 and 19.44 days respectively, at 28°, and there were no significantly different between developmental time of egg, larval and pupal stage, as well as the longevities of males and females on these three different host fruits. The fecundities of females that reared on balsam pear, muskmelon and sponge gourd were 665.5, 769.4 and 910.9 eggs /female, respectively. Larvae were successfully reared on the artificial diet which originally prepared for B. cucurbitae, and there were no significantly different in the developmental duration of the immature stage, the longevity of adults and the fecundity of females between those fed on these three natural host fruits, except for pupal duration. The intrinsic rate of increase (r) were 0.0924, 0.1150, 0.1068, and 0.1030/day, respectively, when reared on balsam pear, muskmelon, sponge gourd and artificial diet. The net reproductive value (R₀) was between those reared on artificial diet (R₀ = 219.84 eggs/female) and balsam pear (R₀ = 57.87 eggs/female). The mean generation time (GT) were 43.93, 46.08, 48.80 and 52.34 days respectively. The finite rate of increase (lambda) were all greater than one which means that the population growth of this species was positive when reared on three various hosts and the artificial diet. In addition, the finite rate of increase of Bactorcera tau reared on artificial diet was even larger than that on balsam pear. The oviposition began from the 12th day after females emerged, and reached an oviposition peak at the age of 21 to 35 days old, with the highest fecundity of 20.5 eggs/female/day at 27 days old. The oviposition behavior was observed and described in detail in this paper. There were two peaks of oviposition time for females in a day, in midmorning from early morning to noon and the dusk immediately before dark.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Ming-Ying Lin

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
rearing/culturing/mass production

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Zeugodacus tau	Melon (Cucumis melo)
	Zeugodacus tau	Luffa (genus)