Life history of the squash vine borer, Melittia cucurbitae (Harris) (Lepidoptera : Sesiidae) in South Carolina

The life history of the squash vine borer (SVB), Melittia cucurbitae (Harris) (Lepidoptera: Sesiidae), was investigated in South Carolina. Biological parameters for SVB were determined in cages in a rearing room and outside. These parameters were used to construct a life table for SVB. Eggs hatched, on average, in 10.5 and 8.2 d in the rearing room and outside cages, respectively. Larval and pupal development times averaged 24.4 and 27.6 d in the rearing room, and 27.5 and 29.3 d in outside cages, respectively. Average total development time for immature stages, from egg to adult, was 62.1 d in the rearing room and 65 d in outside cages. Longevity of females averaged 5.2 and 3.9 d for the rearing room and the outside cages, respectively. Males lived, on average 3.1 and 3.0 d in the rearing room and the outside cages. Preoviposition time of females averaged about one day, and females continued to lay eggs for 3 d in the rearing room and 1.9 d in the outside cages. Fecundity averaged 42 and 40.5 eggs/female for the rearing room and the outside cages, respectively. Intrinsic rate of increase (r(m)) was 0.035 for the rearing room and 0.029 for outside cages. Reproductive rate (R.) was calculated to be 9.8 and 7.0 daughters per female for. rearing room and outside cages, respectively. The mean period from birth of parents to birth of offspring (T) was calculated to be 65.2 d for the rearing room and 67.3 d for outside cages. SVB has 2 overlapping generations per year and a prolonged emergence pattern in South Carolina. The moths of the first generation emerge around mid-May and they emerge continuously about 4.0-4.5 months until the end of October even though individual adults live only 1-11 d. Larval activity continued until mid to late October when larvae made cocoons in the soil 2.5 (an inch) or 5 (two inches) cm deep to over-winter as larvae