Effect of different diets on development and reproduction of Mediterranean flour moth, Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lep.: Pyralidae)

Mediterranean flour moth (MFM), Ephestia kuehniella Zeller, is considered as one of the most commonly used host for parasitoids mass rearing including Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hym.: Braconidae) and Trichogramma brassicae Bezdenko (Hym.: Trichogrammatidae). In this research, eight different diets with novel ingredients were applied in laboratory conditions (25±1 ° C, 60±5% RH and 14L: 10D) for mass rearing of the MFM. The results showed that the kind of diets had effect on development and reproduction of the MFM. The highest mean number of emerged adults, weight of 10 adults, weight of 100 eggs along with the shortest developmental time (from egg to adult emergence) of MFM, without any significant difference, were related to four diets including A: wheat flour, wheat bran, barley flour, yeast and glycerin, B: wheat flour, wheat bran, barley flour, yeast bread and glycerin (ratios: 41.5: 2: 43.5 : 3: 10%, respectively), C: wheat flour, wheat bran, yeast bread and glycerin (ratios: 82: 3: 10: 5%, respectively), D: wheat flour, corn flour and barley flour (with equal ratios: 33: 33: 33%). In contrast, the mean number and weight of emerged adults were significantly lower in the rest of diets. The longest developmental time (from egg to adult emergence) and highest immature mean mortality were occurred for diet G containing corn flour and diet F containing wheat flour, respectively. Therefore, the diets A, B, C, and D were proposed as the most appropriate media for mass rearing of the MFM, E. kuehniella.