Development of an artificial diet for three lepidopteran insects
Author of the article:CAO Li-Jun YANG Fan TANG Si-Ying CHEN Min**
Author's Workplace：Beijing Key Laboratory for Forest Pest Control, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China
Key Words： artificial diet, orthogonal design, Hyphantria cunea, Prodenia litura, Lymantria dispar
Abstract： [Objectives] The establishment of insect colonies under artificial conditions is important for research and the development of a set of artificial diets suitable for a variety of insect species can greatly decrease costs and improve the efficiency of maintaining such colonies. [Methods] A diet was developed using two rounds of orthogonal design methods and employed successfully in rearing three Noctuoidea species: Hyphantria cunea (Drury), Prodenia litura (Fabricius) and Lymantria dispar (L.). [Results] The diet contained wheat germ (12%), sugar (2%), casein (4.5%), agar (1.5%), choline chloride (0.05%), Wesson’s salt (1.0%), sorbic acid (0.4%), methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (0.25%), ascorbic acid (0.5%), Vanderzant’s vitamin mix (0.003%)，cholesterol (0.1%) and inositol (0.035%). [Conclusion] The three insect species reared on this diet displayed normal larval development, pupal weight, pupation and eclosion rates. This research will provide a basis for the development of artificial diets for other polyphagous insects.