Effect of sucrose levels in artificial diet on larval growth of cryptomeria bark borer, Semanotus japonicus (Lacordaire) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Abstract

Larvae of the cryptomeria bark borer, Semanotus japonicus (Lacordaire) were reared on four artificial diets containing different sucrose levels of 1.9%, 3.7%, 7.2%, and 13.4% per total weight of diet. Although there were no significant differences in emergence rate, duration from insertion of hatchlings to adult emergence, and elytral length of adult females between diet sucrose levels, there was a significant difference in the elytral length of adult males. In diets containing 7.2% and 13.4% sucrose, the variances of elytral length of adult males and females were small. In addition, in a diet containing 7.2% sucrose, the pupation rate of surviving larvae at 30 days after insertion was higher than that of the other diets. Therefore, a diet containing 7.2% sucrose seems to produce the best adult yield.