Role of availability of food to the adult Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera:Tortricidae) in its reproductive performance

Two experiments were conducted to assess the influence of sucrose and honey (5 and 20%) solution provided as food to adult Lobesia botrana (Denis & Schiffermueller) from the 1st or 4th d of their emergence on their reproductive potential and longevity. Free water served as the control in both experiments. Diets with sugars did not significantly increase female fecundity. Deprivation of feeding during the early stage (up to 3 d after emergence) showed no significant decrease in fecundity, provided that water or a carbohydrate solution was available after that. Longevity of adults was higher when provided food from the day of emergence than when starved for the first 3 d of their life span. Regardless of the availability of food, moths laid 90% of their eggs within the first 10 d of their life at 25 +/- 1 degree C.