Study on biology and behavior of pod borer, Heliothis viriplaca Hufn. (Lep., Noctuidae) in laboratory conditions

The pod borer, Heliothis viriplaca Hufn., is one of the most serious pests of chickpea in the Middle East countries. For the life cycle studies, determination of different larval stages and other behavioral activity, the pupae were collected from cultivated fields and reared under laboratory conditions (25±2°C, %70±5 RH and 14/10 L:D). The laboratory test showed that this pest has one generation per year with obligate diapause. By measuring of head capsule width determined five larvae instars for the pest, with the ranges of 0.423, 0.699, 1.29, 1.84 and 2.64 mm respectively. It has been also indicated that larvae have high cannibalistic tendency under unsuitable conditions so that the larger larvae feed on other small larvae and prepupation stage. In addition the laboratory trials revealed that although all pupae held in 2±1°C condition for 30 days emerged, average oviposition of females decreased and most of the eggs did not hatch.