Biological aspects of the banana moth

Abstract

The goal of this study was to develop a technique of rearing the Opogona sacchari (Bojer) (Lepidoptera: Lyonetdae). The experiment was conducted at the Entomology Laboratory of Epagri/Experiment Staton of Itajaí, SC Brazil. The larvae were reared in natural diet: agar (25g), distlled water (500ml), pulp of green banana (500g), methylis parahydroxibenzoas (0.550g), sorbic acid (1.5g) and streptomicina (0,1g). The couples were placed in PVC cages where the females laid their eggs. The incubaton period of the eggs varied from 4 to 7 days. The average duraton of the larval and pupal phases was 25.3 and
12.7 days respectvely. The egg-adult period varied from 32 to 41 days. The average lifetme of the female was 10.5 days, and that of the male was 8.3 days. The rearing technique proved adequate for the study of different stages of life cycle and can be enhanced to improve the viability of the larval and pupal phases.