Biology of Triatoma vitticeps (Stal, 1859) under laboratory conditions (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae). II. Resistance to starvation

Following the study on the biology of Triatoma vitticeps (Goncalves et al., 1988) observations have been made on its resistance to starvation. Of the 286 eggs obtained only 201 hatched and reached the intended stage for observation. The others did not eclode, neither reached the ecdisis nor died, without explanation. The nymphs were kept, separately, in Borrel flasks and properly listed. The blood-meat was performed in mice, although the insects were kept without feeding as soon as moulted. The starvation was directly related with the developmental stage. In relation to the parameters last meal/death and moult/death, both sexes were less resistant than 3rd and 2nd stage, respectively.