Bigger females, more eggs: the impact of female body weight on egg-laying ability in Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Kolbe)

One of the necessary conditions for the mass production of the edible insect, the whitespotted flower chafer Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Kolbe), is to breed a strain with excellent egg-laying ability. To identify external morphological traits related to egg-laying ability, we investigated the effects of the weight, length, and width of female adults on egg production. Correlation and multiple regression analyses revealed a positive correlation between the weight of female adults and egg production. This study suggests that selection of heavier females is a good strategy for breeding strains with superior egg-laying characteristics. The results of this study will serve as important foundational data for future breeding of superior strains.