Determination of some of the biological characteristics of elm leaf bettle [Pyrrhalta luteola müller (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)] under the laboratory conditions and population dynamics in Balcalı (Adana)/Turkey

In this study, development time and food consumption of elm leaf bettle,Pyrrhalta luteola on Ulmus minor under the labrotory conditions [18, 22, 26, 28, 30,34+1 ºC, %65+5, 16:8 (L:D) for development time; 26+1 ºC, %65+5, 16:8 (L:D) forfood consumption], and population dynamics , in Balcalı (Adana), were studied. Thisstudy was carried out in 2004-2005.In labrotory, hatching periods were 14.0, 9.6, 6.0, 5.0, and 4.0 days respectivelyrecorded constant temperatures, and eggs didn?t hatch at 34+1 ºC. Total averagedevelopment times of P. luteola, which are for 26, 28, 30+1 ºC, were to be 27.7, 25.5and 24.0 days respectively. Total average development times of P. luteola for 18 and22+1 ºC couldn?t be determined because of it couldn?t complete development time.Also, total average development times of P. luteola for 34+1 ºC couldn?t bedetermined because of egg didn?t hatch. The longevities of females are 30.0, 58.2,39.7 days; for male 30.0, 27.0 and 19.7 days for males respectively. The lowestreproduction was determined as 112.6 at 26; the highest was determined as 190.3 at28+1 ºC. Female of P. luteola consumed 1.63, male consumed 0.73 cm2 leaf areaunder the labrotory conditions.In nature, Balcalı (Adana), the highest population density of Pyrrhalta luteolawas recorded, per 2.11/young branch, on 03.05.2004.Key Words: Pyrrhalta luteola, elm, development time, food consumption,population dynamics.