Growth and Devlopment of the Black Carpet Beetle1 on the Laboratory Diet2

Abstract

The growth and development of male and female larvae of the black carpet beetle, Attagenus megatoma (F.) (Dermestidae), reared individually on a yeast-supplemented Purina® Laboratory Chow diet, was studied. At full term female larvae had a maximum mean weight of 18.34 mg compared to 10.37 mg for males. The mean duration of the larval stage was 254 days for males and 260 days for females. The extended sigmoidal growth curves were atypical for insects in that very little weight gain (as a percentage of the final larval weight) occurred in the last instars. The average number of larval stadia was 7 for males and 8 for females, but a range of stadia was observed for each sex. Mean pupal weights were 9.18 mg for males and 16.10 for females. Mean adult weights were 7.79 mg for males and 14.40 mg for females.