Reproductive Potential of Florida Populations of Diaprepes abbreviates (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract

We examined the reproductive potential of field populations from five Florida geographical locations and one laboratory population of Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.). The life span for female weevils taken from field populations ranged from 116 to 300 d compared to 268 to 330 d for the laboratory population. Field-collected females oviposited a maximum of 11,414 eggs in 181 egg masses. The laboratory population produced a maximum of 20,048 eggs in 265 egg masses and may have been selected for egg production. The mean number of eggs, egg masses, and eggs/mass declined with female age for the laboratory-reared population. Compared to previous studies, our data increased the estimate of the maximum egg laying potential of individual females in field populations of D. abbreviatus from 7,000 to about 11,000 eggs. However, over a 6-wk period, the estimated life span for adults in the field, there was no difference in mean egg production between populations, and the overall mean ± S.E. was only 1954 ± 102 eggs (n = 184). Our data confirmed previous reports that females require fertilization by a male for egg development into a first-instar larva.