Reproductive behaviour of Ephestia Kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyradidae) : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Entomology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

Content not included due to copyright restrictions: Appendix Published papers from PhD study Xu, J., & Wang, Q. (2010). Form and nature of precopulatory sexual selection in both sexes of a moth. Naturwissenschaften, 97(7), 617-625. Xu, J., & Wang, Q. (2010). Mechanisms of last male precedence in a moth: Sperm displacement at ejaculation and storage sites. Behavioral Ecology, 21(4), 714-721. Xu, J., & Wang, Q. (2010). Thiotepa, a reliable marker for sperm precedence measurement in a polyandrous moth. Journal of Insect Physiology, 56(1), 102-106. Xu, J., & Wang, Q. (2009). A polyandrous female moth discriminates against previous mates to gain genetic diversity. Animal Behaviour, 78(6), 1309-1315. Xu, J., & Wang, Q. (2009). Male moths undertake both pre- and in-copulation mate choice based on female age and weight. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 63(6), 801-808. Xu, J., Wang, Q., & He, X. Z. (2008). Emergence and reproductive rhythms of ephestia kuehniella (lepidoptera: Pyralidae). New Zealand Plant Protection, 61, 277-282. Xu, J., Wang, Q., & He, X. Z. (2007). Influence of larval density on biological fitness of ephestia kuehniella zeller (lepidoptera: Pyralidae). New Zealand Plant Protection, 60, 199-202.Ephestia kuehniella is a pest of stored grain products. It also is widely used to rear parasitoids and predators. Prior to this study, little information was available on its reproductive behaviour. The fitness of E. kuehniella decreases with the increase of rearing density; a density of 100 larvae/50g food is recommended to produce high quality insects. Females emerge earlier than males. Emergence peaks at dusk; calling, courtship and mating peak in the late part of the 1st scotophase following emergence; oviposition peaks in the early part of the 2nd scotophase following emergence. Newly emerged virgin females carry