Effect of different diet on the survivorship, life cycle, and fecundity of eri silkworm Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Abstract

Cassava (Euphorbiaceae), castor (Euphorbiaceae), and tropical almond (Combretaceae) have been suggested as three different possible natural diet sources for Samia cynthia ricini (Drury, 1773) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), a species of silkworm that is reared in Indonesia because it is able to produce good-quality silk. This research aims to study the effect of the types of diet on the survivorship, development time, and fecundity of S. c. ricini. The research was conducted by giving the three types of diet to S. c. ricini. The survival rate, development time, and adult fecundity were observed. The results showed that S. c. ricini had a high survival rate when fed on cassava and castor. However, S. c. ricini larvae died when fed tropical almond. A significant difference in the total larval development time occurred when S. c. ricini was fed on cassava and castor. Larvae developed more quickly when fed on the castor diet compared to the cassava diet. Moreover, the total development time is also faster when they fed castor. The pupal weight and fecundity of adult female S. c. ricini reared on castor were higher than those of adult females reared on cassava. This study implies that castor is the more suitable diet for S. c. ricini and cassava can be used as an alternate diet.

Midgut serine proteinases participate in dietary adaptations of the castor (Eri) silkworm Samia ricini Anderson transferred from Ricinus communis to an ancestral host, Ailanthus excelsa Roxb

“…In this study, R. communis was a better host plant than A. excelsa , as S. ricini larvae fed on the Scr diet displayed significantly higher ( p ≤ 0.05) larval weight gain, cocoon shell weight, realized fecundity, shorter larval periods, and lower mortality than those fed on Scai diets ( Figure 1 ). Comparable estimates have been reported for life-history parameters of S. ricini reared on R. communis ( 36 , 53 – 55 ). The superior performance for various life-history traits in larvae fed Scr diets most probably reflects dietary habituation as a result of domestication on R. communis plants.…”

Population Management of Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) by Eggs Refrigeration and Its Effect on Hatchability, Development, and Fecundity

“…Temperature and humidity greatly affected the development of eggs. Our previous studies observed that eggs also developed in six days (Nurkomar et al 2022a(Nurkomar et al , 2022b. However, other studies reported that S. c. ricini eggs could develop in 8-9 days (Kavane 2014), ten days, and 14-15 days in the winter (Das and Das 2018).…”

“…The refrigeration period will also not cause losses economically because there was no significant influence on the weight of the cocoon developed. The cocoons shell weighed the same as the weights of S. c. ricini cocoons reported in our previous studies (Nurkomar et al 2022b) and others (Tungjitwitayakul and Tatun 2017).…”

Life Cycle and Morphometric Analysis of Yellow Assassin Bug Cosmolestes Pecticeps Stal (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) Feed on Elaeidobius Kamerunicus Faust (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

“…As C. picticeps ages, its chances of survival will decline. The kind of food consumed also has an impact on the survival rate as examined by other insects [7,8]. Brown eggs with an oval shape are laid solitary or do not form an egg mass.…”