The black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae), was reared on artificial diet (wheat bran and chicken feed) in the laboratory at 28°C (immature stages) and under a greenhouse set at 28°C (adults). Data were collected and analyzed based on an age-stage, two-sex life table. The intrinsic rate of increase ( r ), finite rate of increase ( λ ), net reproduction rate ( R ), and mean generation time ( T ) were 0.0759 (d−1), 1.0759 (d−1), 68.225 offspring, and 55.635 d, respectively. The maximum reproductive value of females occurred at 54 d. Only six females out of 21 were able to successfully oviposit. The number of eggs laid per female ranged from 236 to a maximum of 1,088 eggs. We demonstrated that first-instar larvae of H. illucens are more susceptible to perishing when reared under artificial diet than are later instars.

Lymantria xylina Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) is a serious defoliator of hardwood and fruit trees in Taiwan. The larvae of L. xylina feed on <63 species of host plants, belonging to 29 families. Because a large number of larvae are needed for the production of nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPV) or other related studies, the development of a suitable artificial diet is very important for the mass rearing of this moth in the laboratory. In this study, eight artificial diets, modified from different formulas, and one host plant, Liquidambar formosana Hance, were used to feed L. xylina caterpillars. Through various bioassays (first instar survival trial and long- and short-term feeding trials), the most suitable diet for the L. xylina was selected by performance comparisons with L. formosana. After the first instar survival trial, two of the diets were discarded, because no larva survived on these diets. The results of the long-term feeding trial indicated that the larvae grew successfully on only three kinds of artificial diet. Finally, results of the short-term feeding trial revealed that a diet (diet A), modified from the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), formula diet, was the most appropriate for the L. xylina. Larvae fed on diet A had better survival rate, pupal weight, adult size, efficiency of conversion, and relative growth rate than larvae fed on other diets; they did not grow as well as those fed on L. formosana, however, except for pupal and adult weight, and approximate digestibility. In summary, diet A was found to be the best of the artificial diets for the L. xylina and is suitable for mass rearing of this moth in the laboratory.

The root aphid Tetraneura nigriabdominalis (Sasaki) (Homoptera: Pemphigidae) is a pest of many Gramineae species; however, little is known about its biology and relationships with host plants. The objectives of this study were to quantify the effects of temperature on development, longevity, fecundity, and population growth of T. nigriabdominalis and to assess the effects of host plant on development of T . nigriabdominalis . The effects of temperature on performance of this root aphid were determined at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 ± 1°C on rice roots, Oryza sativa L. Nymphal stages from birth to adult decreased from 46.3 d at 10°C to 8.5 d at 30°C. Aphid survival and development were lowest at 35°C, and no aphid produced progeny at this temperature. Average adult longevity decreased from 23.3 d at 15°C to 8.2 d at temperatures up to 35°C. Average number of nymphs produced per female was highest at 25°C; averaging near 30 nymphs per female, but it dropped to near zero at both 10 and 35°C. The highest intrinsic rate of increase ( r m ) was 0.241 at 30°C. Net reproductive rate ( R 0 ) ranged from 29.8 at 25°C to 0.2 at 10°C. The generation time ( GT ) decreased with increasing temperatures from 60.3 d at 10°C to 13.8 d at 30°C. In addition, root aphids reared at 30°C on three host plants [ O. sativa , Zea mays L. and Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] revealed that the developmental time of the nymphal stages averaged 6.9 d when reared on O. sativa and 10.7 d when reared on Z. mays . Comparison of the nitrogen content of the three host plants indicated that the root nitrogen content was highest in O . sativa . The effect of nitrogen content on aphid performance, however, is still not clear. Other factors, such as plant secondary chemistry, may play a role in affecting aphid performance.