Developing Mass Egg-Laying Medium for the Edible Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigonidae)
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of Economic Entomology
Abstract
The edible katydid, Ruspolia differens (Serville), is an economically and nutritionally important insect species
that is common and widespread in Africa. Currently, there are aims to develop mass-rearing methods suitable
for this species, but a critical first step would require a suitable oviposition medium to ensure economic and
easy production of eggs with high hatchability. The objective of the present study was to determine the oviposition
preference and egg hatchability in different oviposition media. Based on preliminary testing of a wide
range of different materials, two oviposition media, namely, artificial (folded plastic cloth) and natural medium
(leaf sheath of Pennisetum purpureum Schumach attached to a stem), were selected for a detailed experiment.
A two-choice laboratory experiment was conducted in which R. differens females were able to select between
the folded plastic cloth (one side covered with short fleece) and a leaf sheath of P. purpureum (wrapped in
polyester fiber). The results show that R. differens laid almost three times more eggs on the plastic cloth (mean
± SE, 169.3 ± 18.0) than on the natural substrate, P. purpurem (69.0 ± 13.9). However, the hatchability (overall
mean% ± SE, 56.5 ± 4.7) of eggs in the two media did not differ. Folded plastic cloth, therefore, provided a more
effective medium for egg laying by R. differens, and is thus a promising oviposition medium for getting natural
populations to start laying eggs in future mass rearing.
Description
Keywords
Edible bush cricket, Mass rearing, Nsenene, Oviposition media, Uganda
Citation
Malinga, G. M., Lehtovaara, V. J., Valtonen, A., Nyeko, P., & Roininen, H. (2019). Developing mass egg-laying medium for the edible Ruspolia differens (Orthoptera: Tettigonidae). Journal of Economic Entomology, 112(5), 2157-2160. doi: 10.1093/jee/toz124