Abstract
Neoempheria ferruginea is a pest fly in sawdust-based cultivation of shiitake mushrooms, Lentinula edodes. We investigated the effect of food supply (5% sugar solution or distilled water) and temperature (15, 20, or 25°C) on adult longevity, number of eggs oviposited, and hatching success. Adults reared on sugar solution lived longer (7.0∼31.4 days) than adults reared on water (3.0∼6.9 days). Females reared on sugar solution oviposited more eggs (131.7∼281.8) than did females reared on water (63.7∼152.2). Females began ovipositing one day after eclosion under all rearing conditions, but the peak of oviposition (90% of eggs) was earlier for water-reared flies (3∼4 days after eclosion) than for flies reared on sugar solution (5∼9 days after eclosion). Thus, the presence of a sugar source increased adult longevity and egg number in N. ferruginea. Flies reared at 20°C laid significantly more eggs than did flies reared at either 15 or 25°C. The hatching success of eggs reared at 15°C was significantly lower than that of eggs reared at 20 or 25°C, with a range of 29.2∼69.4%.
