Abstract:
Effects of environmental humidity on the growth, reproduction and survival of the
Lasioderma serricorne population in laboratory were studied. Varied relative humidity, i. e., (50±5)%, (60±5)%, (70±5)%, (80±5)% and (90±5)% RH, at (32±1)℃ with a photoperiod of 14-h-L:10-h-D were applied. The results showed that (1)
L. serricorne failed to completely develop a single generation under 50% or 90% RH-the first generation larvae died at 90% and the second instar perished at 50%, but it could under the other humidified conditions in the test; (2) there were no significant variations in the egg development time under the tested RHs, except 70% and 90%; (3) the larval developments were similar under 60% and 70% RH, however, at 80% RH, the duration of the 1
st stage (i. e., 8.08 d), 2
nd stage (i. e., 6.82 d), and 3
rd stage (i. e., 7.05 d) were significantly shorter than the others; (4) the longest life span of 25.84 d was found in female adults at 60% RH, and 15.25 d in males at 80% RH; (5) the shortest pre-oviposition period of 2.55 d, the total pre-oviposition period of 58.41 d and the oviposition period of 7.00 d were found when the RH was 80%, but no significant difference at 60% or 70%; (6) there were significant differences on the fecundity, age-stage life expectancy (e
xj), and age-stage specific reproductive value (V
xj) of the insects reared under 60%, 70% or 80%, and they peaked at 60% RH; (7) the net reproduction rates (
R0) decreased from 37.69 at 60% to 30.65 at 70% and 15.02 at 80% RH, whereas, the intrinsic rates of increase (r) and finite rates of increase (λ) showed no significant differences as the RH was altered; (8) there were no significant differences on the generation times (
T) of 72.68 d at 60% and 72.79 d at 70% RH, but they were significantly longer than 62.80 d at 80%; and (9) the lowest larval counts were found on the 60
th d under 60%, the 50
th d under 70% and the 38
th d under 80% RH, and escalated significantly afterward suggesting an optimal time for the insect control.