LIFE-CYCLE AND HOST-RANGE OF THE GALL-FORMING MOTH, MESKEA-HOROR (LEP. THYRIDIDAE), AND ITS SUITABILITY AS A BIOLOGICAL-CONTROL AGENT FOR SIDA-ACUTA AND S-RHOMBIFOLIA (MALVACEAE)

The life cycle of the moth, Meskea horor Dyar and its host specificity to Sida acuta and S. rhombifolia were investigated. Moths emerge earl y in the morning and are usually inactive during the day. Feeding by t he adults in the held was not observed. However, those in the laborato ry fed on flowers of S. acuta, S. rhombifolia and Hibiscus sabdariffa, and drank water or dilute honey solution. Eggs are mainly laid on the underside of leaves. Larvae of M. horor form galls in the stems of S. acuta and S. rhombifolia which retard plant growth and flowering. Pup ation occurs within the gall. The development time from egg to adult w as 192 days and the adults lived for 11 to 14 days. Forty-eight plant species were tested to determine the host range of M. horor. Adults em erged from seven species of plants in the family Malvaceae and larvae formed galls but died before pupating on a further 17 species. M. horo r is considered to have too broad a host range to be used as a biologi cal control agent for S. acuta and S. rhombifolia.