The biology and improvement of artificial diets for laboratory rearing of jasmine moth (olive leaf moth) (Palpita unionalis) (Lep: Pyralidae)

This study was conducted with the aim of determining the biology of olive leaf moth, Palpita unionalis Hubner on olive and artificial diets. With this content, egg, larva, pupa and adult stages were examined in detail. Also artificial diets were tested and the most suitable one was determined. In the study, laboratory colony of olive leaf moth, feeding on its natural host olive, was formed in controlled conditions of 24±1oC temperature, 65% relative humidity and 16:8 photoperiod. Immature development stages of olive leaf moth were determined. Egg development period of olive leaf moth was 4,16±0,09 days, larval development of olive leaf moth, which has 6 larval stages, was determined as 23,35±2,13 days and pupal development period was determined as 9,87±1,03 days. Adult longevity of females and males was determined as 16,00±1,57 days and 16,3±1,21 days, respectively. In the study, development time of immature stages of olive leaf moth was determined as 36,94±1,23 days. It was found that, a female can lay average 352±42,9 eggs through its life time.Sex ratio of adults was found as 1?/1,2? in laboratory.Larval survival rate of olive leaf moth was 60% on olive leaves, 64,6% on artificial diet and 48,3% on artificial diet with 10% olive leaves. Adult emergence rate was found as 72, 05%, 58, 03% and 56,7% respectively on the same diets.