Mass-Rearing of the Cabbage Armyworm, Mamestra brassicae LINNÉ and the Common Armyworm, Mythimna separata WALKER (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on a Simple Artificial Diet

Abstract

A simple artificial diet was prepared to facilitate the mass-rearing of Mamestra brassicae and Mythimna separata at a low cost. The diet was composed of herbivorous animal food (ZC^®), wheat germ, dried yeast, ascorbic acid, soybean oil, agar, water, and propionic acid. In both species, the development, viability and fecundity of individuals appeared to be approximately the same with this diet as compared with the previous ones. To date, 7 consecutive generations of both species have been reared on this diet.