Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-tn8tq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-17T19:09:56.809Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An Evaluation of Some Larval Growth Criteria1 in European Pine Shoot Moth Larvae

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Dean L. Haynes
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.
J. W. Butcher
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan.

Extract

In recent ecological studies on the European pine shoot moth, (Rhyacionia buoliana (Schiff.)), where a major objective was to evaluate the influence of different hosts on oviposition preference, larval mortality, insect size, rate of development, and sex ratio, the inadequacy of conventional growth measurements was much too apparent. There was a need to document relatively small differences in larval size and rate of growth on several hosts or from one stand to another. Measurements which showed growth but not weight or volume losses have limited value where the insect under study has a long non-feeding period. Such measurements as body length, and especially head capsule width, obviously belonged in this category. On the other hand, it was felt that dry weight measurements would show both gain and loss. Further, a volume estimate (or body index) would be even more useful, if one could be devised which bore a linear relationship to dry weight. Such an index, while it might involve more than one measurement, nevertheless could be made without destroying the larvae.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1961

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beck, S. D. 1950. Nutrition of the European corn borer, Pyrausta nubilalis (Hbn.). II. Some effects of diet on larval growth characteristics. Physiol. Zool. 23: 353361.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peterson, Alvah. 1948. Larvae of insects: Part I. Lepidoptera and plant infesting Hymenoptera. Edwards Brothers, Inc. Ann Arbor, Mich.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. 1957. Statistical Methods. Iowa State Col. Press, Ames, Iowa. 534 pp.Google Scholar