Rearing improvements for the German cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae).
Known-age cohorts of three strains of German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), were mass-reared by establishing one rearing container each week (so that cockroaches within a container would be of known age). An average of 330-443 females was placed in oviposition units within these rearing containers. Percentage hatch of oothecae was 77.49-84.63%, resulting in an average of 12,258-16,359 nymphs per rearing container. Development of nymphs was similar for the three strains. Survivorship of nymphs to the adult stage was 19.95-29.56%; survivorship was significantly higher for the strain most recently colonized from the field. Adult emergence occurred at 6-7 wk, and average production per container was 2,834-3,971 cockroaches.
Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.
P G
PG
Koehler
C A
CA
Strong
R S
RS
Patterson
D000818:Animals; D003058:Cockroaches / Q000254:growth & development*; D004032:Diet; D004772:Entomology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013045:Species Specificity