Abstract

K. A. Achiano and J. H. Giliomee*

A number of concentrations of PRO- PLEX™, a protein rich food additive, were incorporated into an artificial diet to determine its effect on the predatory beetle, Carcinops pumilio (Erichson). The impact of this host- free artificial diet on developmental time, larval weight, oviposition and mortality was assessed. When C. pumilio is fed on a host-free diet, the total development of egg to adult was prolonged in comparison with those reared on natural diet by an average of 3.95 ± 0.17 days. The number of stadia was not affected by the artificial diet. The increase in weight of both 1st and 2nd instar larvae was highly significantly and strongly correlated with the concentration of PRO-PLEX™ in the artificial diet (P < 0.001). Adults fed on the artificial diet laid eggs, but significantly less than on the natural diet (P < 0.05). C. pumilio larvae reared on a natural diet had a significantly faster rate of oviposition, shorter developmental time and lower mortality as compared to those fed on the artificial diet.