| dc.description.abstract |
Many populations of organisms deplete their resources, causing population growth rates to decline as population densities increase. For the histerid beetle, Carcinops pumilio (Erichson), increase in density had a damping effect on female fecundity and was inversely proportional to body size and mass of first and second instar larvae. Developmental time was inversely proportional to body size and mass of first and second instar larvae reared at densities of 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40 and 50 pairs of males and females. Survival of second instar larvae decreased with increase in density but increased with increase in body size. The rate of oviposition was directly proportional to body size and mass of the adult females. The results show that density will be a critical factor in any mass-rearing programme for this predator of fly larvae. |
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