INFLUENCE OF DIET ON THE DENSITY-DEPENDENT PHASE POLYMORPHISM OF VELVETBEAN CATERPILLARS (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE)

Velvetbean caterpillars, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner, were reared at different larval densities on meridic diets containing different amoun ts of foliage. The degree of dark body color and yellow to orange head color was highest in larvae reared crowded and on meridic diets conta ining the most dried soybean foliage in artificial diet or consisting completely of fresh kudzu or soybean foliage. No body color change fro m green was observed in solitary larvae reared on the same diets as cr owded larvae. Larvae developed most rapidly on meridic diets containin g the lowest and highest amounts of foliage. On all meridic diets test ed, solitary larvae developed to the pupal stage at least 1 d faster t han crowded larvae. Larvae reared on fresh foliage developed into pupa e and adults that weighed the least.