Abstract
Seasonal changes in the numbers of the adult dermestid beetle, Thaumaglossa rufocapillata, emerging from egg cases of two species of praying mantises, Tenodera aridifolia and T. angustipennis were investigated, and the newly-emerged dermestid adults were reared under quasi-natural conditions. The adults emerged from the mantis egg cases in May and June. The emergence peaks were earlier in males than in females for egg cases of both mantis species. Emergence began earlier from egg cases of T. aridifolia than from T. angustipennis in both sexes of the dermestid. Oviposition was observed from late May through to mid-August, and the mean fecundity was about 10 eggs per female. Although males and females survived for about 2 months after emergence, all died before September when adult T. aridifolia and T. angustipennis start oviposition. Out of 23 hatched egg cases of the praying mantises, two collected in late July and mid-September harbored larvae or callow adults. They were presumed to be the first generation of larvae and adults.
