SUITABILITY OF 6 SPECIES OF COMMELINACEAE AS LARVAL HOSTS OF MOURALIA-TINCTOIDES (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE, PLUSIINAE)

Survival rates to pupal and adult stages, development rates, and pupal weights were determined for larvae of Mouralia tinctoides (Guenee) pl aced on six species of Commelinaceae. Larvae developed successfully on the dayflower, Commelina diffusa Burmeister, on two wandering jew spe cies, Tradescantia zebrina G. G. Bosse and Tradescantia fluminensis Ve lloso, and on the spiderwort, Tradescantia ohiensis Raffinesque. Poor survival and lower pupal weights occurred with larvae placed on foliag e of purple queen Tradescantia pallida (Rose) D. Hunt and on Callisia repens L. Larvae of M. tinctoides did not survive on two artificial di ets used as rearing media for many pest Lepidoptera or on foliage of c otton, Gossypium hirsutum L.