Abstract
This study presents various biological aspects of the cassidine beetle, Botanochara impressa. The incubation period of the egg stage varied from 5 to 12 days, with an average of 6.87 ± 0.05 days. The mean duration of the larval stage, containing 5 instars, varied between 13.29 ± 0.18 and 16.61 ± 0.34 days depending on the leaf moisture content during the experiment. The larvae and adults were fed leaves of Ipomoea acuminata. High moisture content accelerated development. The pupal stage lasted from 4.98 ± 0.03 to 5.41 ± 0.05 days, depending indirectly on the same factor. Adult longevity was an average of 168.93 ± 8.56 days without any significant differences between males and females. During the oviposition period, the mated female deposited an average of 322.6 ± 31.9 eggs. The total life cycle varied between 32 and 344 days, with an average of 193.78 ± 6.47 days, under laboratory conditions.
The possibility of using this insect species as a biological control agent of Ipomoea weeds is discussed.
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Copyright (c) 1979 Revista de Biología Tropical