Role of availability of food to the adult Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera : Tortricidae) in its reproductive performance

Two experiments were conducted to assess the influence of sucrose and honey (5 and 20%) solution provided as food to adult Lobesia botrana (Denis & Sc hiffermueller) from the 1st or 4th d of their emergence on their reproducti ve potential and longevity. Free water served as the control in both experi ments. Diets with sugars did not significantly increase female fecundity. D eprivation of feeding during the early stage (up to 3 d after emergence) sh owed no significant decrease in fecundity, provided that water or a carbohy drate solution was available after that. Longevity of adults was higher whe n provided food from the day of emergence than when starved for the first 3 d of their life span. Regardless of the availability of food, moths laid 9 0% of their eggs within the first 10 d of their life at 25 +/- 1 degrees C.