DEVELOPMENT OF PERIPLANETA AUSTRALASIAEFABRICIUS (BLATTODEA, BLATTIDAE) AT A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE OF 30° C AND AT AMBIENT LABORATORY TEMPERATURE

ABSTRACT With the objective of obtaining standards of measurement for prevention and control, this study compared the development of the eggs and nymphs of Periplaneta australasiae (Fabricius) at a temperature of 30 ± 0.2° C, relative humidity 80 ± 15% and photoperiod of 12 hours versus ambient conditions in the laboratory without controls of temperature and RH. Single ootheca were maintained in test tubes until ecolosion, and nymphs were transferred to glass cubes and fed commercial rabbit ration and water ad libitum until emergence of the imagos. The incubation period, number of eggs/ ootheca, viability of the eggs, number of nymphs/ootheca, nymphal duration, viability of nymphs and duration of egg to adult were all evaluated. The mean difference in the incubation period between the temperature of 30° C (38 days) and ambient conditions (44.5 days) was significant (p