Survival and Development ofOryzaephilus surinamensis(L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) on Wheat-flour Diets and on Casein Diets Supplemented With Biotin and Ascorbic Acid

Abstract

AbstractNewly hatched larvae ofOryzaephilus surinamensis(L.) developed quickest on untreated flour plus 3% of wheat germ, but survived best on commercial vitamin-enriched flour. They developed as quickly on a synthetic casein diet containing 1.25 γ of biotin per gram as on vitamin-enriched flour, and survived as well on the synthetic casein diet as on untreated flour plus 3% of wheat germ. They developed slower and survived less well on a synthetic casein diet containing biotin at a concentration of 7.50 γ per gram than on untreated flour plus 3% of wheat germ. They also developed slower and survived less well on a casein diet containing ascorbic acid at a concentration of 0.025 g. per gram than on untreated flour plus 3% of wheat germ. Adults did not always emerge in the shortest time on diets on which the larvae pupated most quickly.