Efeito da dieta sobre os resultados biométricos das pupas de Tenebrio molitor (Coleóptera, Tenebrionidae)

Abstract

To optimize the growth of insects it is necessary that the different macro and micronutrients are properly balanced. Nutrition can affect the development, size, color, reproduction and other biological characteristics of insects. So far there are no data on zootechnical performance in the production of larvae and beetles of Tenebrio molitor, that allow opting, for production, procedures that maximize the profitability of the process. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different diets on the duration of the larval period, the duration of the pupal period, the pupal weight and the respective biometric measurements (length and width) of the Tenébrio molitor species. The duration of the larval period, that is, the number of days required for a larva to enter the pupae stage varied significantly among the four diets studied. In diet B it was necessary, on average 40.2 days, for diet C were 52.1 days, for diet D 56.6 days and finally for diet A were 72.8 days. Regarding the pupae weight, diet B (135.7 ± 17.7 mg), mean results were significantly lower than the other diets. The number of days of incubation of the pupae also varied significantly between diet B (8.37 days) and diets A (9.43 days) and D (10,11 days).