An Artificial Diet for Cottonwood and Imported Willow Leaf Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and Comparative Performance on Poplar Foliage2

Abstract

An artificial diet was developed for laboratory rearing of the cottonwood leaf beetle, Chrysomela scripta F., and the imported willow leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora (Laicharting). To reduce microbial contamination of the media, procedures were developed for separating egg masses and sterilizing egg surfaces. Cottonwood leaf beetle larvae reared from neonate to adult on this artificial diet had greater mortality, took longer to develop, and were smaller than larvae reared on fresh poplar foliage. Adult longevity was similar for both diet-and foliage-reared larvae. Survival and adult fresh weight of imported willow leaf beetle larvae reared on the artificial diet were similar to those of cohorts reared on fresh poplar foliage. However, individuals reared on artificial diet took longer to develop and produced shorter-lived adults than cohorts reared on foliage. Larvae of both species would not eat fresh foliage after being fed on the artificial diet. Adults of both species maintianed on the artificial diet laid few eggs but resumed normal oviposition when fed fresh foliage. This artificial diet proved useful for rearing larvae and maintaining adults during periods when fresh foliage was limited.