Abstract:
Tribolium castaneum, the red flour beetle, is basically a granivorous
insect species having a broad host range. The rearing media affects
convenient handling of insects while its composition determines the
success of progeny adult emergence. The objective of this research
was to develop a food medium for rearing L casfa neum using dietary
materials available at the local market and test the same for their
success in producing the progeny. Wheat flour, crushed broiler feed,
crushed dog feed and com flour were used either alone or in different
combinations. Unsexed adults of T. castaneum were introduced to
eactr medium, maintained tor 2 weeks and sifted out. The progeny
adults emerged varied among rearing media tested. The medium that
contained wheat flour, crushed dog feed and crushed broiler feed at
2:1 .1 ratio produced the maximum adult progeny.ln general, poor
adult emergence was observed in wheat flour and corn flour when
used alone or in combinations. No progeny was observed when corn
flour was used alone. Future studies on the nutrient composition of
the food medium that produced higher progeny adults would ensure
further development of rearing media for L casfa neum.
