Development and Oviposition Characteristics of Protaetia brevitarsis (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae) Fed Fermented Mulberry Sawdust

Abstract

This study investigated the developmental and ovipositional characteristics of Protaetia brevitarsis individuals that were fed with fermented mulberry sawdust. The developmental periods of larvae were 164.0, 73.3, and 64.8 days at 25, 28, and 30°C, respectively. The maximum larval weight was 2.94 g at 25°C, and the weight of larvae decreased as temperature increased. The average weight of female adults were 0.94, 0.51, and 0.54 g at 25, 28, and 30°C, respectively. The weight of male adults was higher than that of females. The addition of 10% or 30% wheat bran to the fermented mulberry sawdust increased larval weight. It was possible to sell larvae from 75 days after mass rearing, when the cumulative rate of larvae that were heavier than 2.5 g was approximately 75%. The average number of eggs per female was 83.2 at 25°C, and this was the highest in the 5th week. Most of the eggs (73%) were oviposited between 3 and 8 weeks after adults emergence.