BIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON CRYPTOBLABES GNIDIELLA (LEPIDOPTERA : PYRALIDAE ) INFESTING STORED GARLIC

The honey dew moth, Cryptoblabes gnidiella Millere reared on stored garlic bulbs under la boratory conditios at eight constant temperature and relative humidity. These studies aim to evaluate the effects of temperature at different developmental stages of this insect on garlic bulbs. Egg incubation period ranged between 4.18 days at 35°C and 12.82 days at 15°C. While no eggs were hatched at 5, 10 and 40°C which caused 100% mortality developing and delayed embryonic development. Zero of development was estimated, being 4.2°C. Larval duration period ranged between 11.3 to 25.1 days, prepupal duration period ranged between 1.8 to 5.9 days and pupal duration period ranged between 6.3 to 21.3 days at 35°C and 15°C, respectively. From these results it could be stated that the embryonic development of C. gnidiella completely stopped when eggs were exposed for 16 hrs. at 5°C or 144 hrs. at 10°C. Therefore, these two low temperature could be used to avoid infestation with this insect pest during storage period of garlic bulbs.