A NEW ARTIFICIAL DIET FOR REARING MONOCHAMUS-CAROLINENSIS (COLEOPTERA, CERAMBYCIDAE)

An easily obtained and prepared artificial diet for rearing Monachamus carolinensis (Olivier) larvae in the laboratory is described. The die t uses the commercially avail able ''painted lady culture medium'' to which pine bark is added as a phagostimulant. The artificial diet meth od of rearing insects is useful when observation of life stage develop ment is crucial for experimental protocols or for taxonomic studies. T his artificial diet was also used to successfully rear three species o f cerambycid larvae obtained from a dead oak stump.