Investigation on some biological parameters of the tumbleweed moth Euxoa agricola Boisduval, (Lep. Noctuidae)

E. agricola Boisduval (Lep. Noctuidae) is the most important pest on of tumbleweed Gundelia tournefortii L. in Kohgiloyeh Va Boyerahmad, Iran. The larvae feed on the leaves and make damages on host plant. This study was carried out on E. agricola life cycle from 2010 to 2011. The sampling was carried out weekly in nature.,The eggs were collected from the nature and reared under laboratory conditions (27 ± 1º C and 24 ± 1º C, % 65 ± 10 RH and 16:8 L:D).Results indicated that the adults emerged gradually from hibernated larvae in April. This moth has one generation a year. Incubation periods of eggs were 2.9 ± 0.1 and 3.8 ± 0.1 days; developmental periods of larvae were 17.1 ± 0.4 and 20.1 ± 0.5 and for pupae 14.7 ± 0.5 and 9.8 ± 0. days under temperatures of 27 and 24 º C at the laboratory conditions respectively. The total period from egg to adult was 28.6 ± 0.7 and 32.7 ± 0.5 days in 27 and 24 º C respectively at laboratory conditions.