Marking of the West Indian sweet potato weevil, Euscepes postfasciatus (Fairmaire) (Coleoptera : Curculionidae) with Calco Oil Red dye I. Effect of dye added to the artificial larval diet on development of the weevils, yield of adults and long lasting internal coloration in the adult

Abstract

Adults of the West Indian sweet potato weevil, Euscepes postfasciatus were effectively marked with Calco Oil Red N-1700^〔○!R〕 dye contained in the larval artificial diet. Addition of the dye to the diet had no significant effects on developmental period from egg hatch to adult eclosion, yield of adults, or the percent hatchability of eggs oviposited by marked adults. The color of the dye in the adult metathorax was still visible externally even 6 weeks after eclosion. These results indicate that the dye is useful as an internal marker of E. postfasciatus in the sterile insect technique.