This work studied the development and reproduction of Dirphia moderata Bouvier, 1919 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) fed on Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell or Psidium guajava L. The periods of pre-oviposition, oviposition and egg incubation as well as viability and number of eggs per female were 6.71 ± 0.18 days; 4.00 ± 0.66 days; 18.14 ± 0.18 days; 17.54 ± 3.78%; 121.71 ± 18.96 for this insect on E. cloeziana and 3.86 ± 0.26 days; 5.86 ± 0.40 days; 17.71 ± 0.21 days; 23.12 ± 10.81%; 112.00 ± 8.79 on P. guajava, respectively. Larva stage duration and viability (%) were 53.00 ± 0.09 and 80.00 ± 0.99 and 55.83 ± 0.29 and 77.5 ± 6.60 for caterpillars of D. moderata reared with the first and second hosts, respectively. Duration and viability of the pre-pupa and pupa stages were 4.84 ± 0.07 days and 96.88 ± 3.13% and 37.64 ± 1.20 days and 84.37 ± 6.53% on E. cloeziana and 3.82 ± 0.06 days and 100.00% and 49.93 ± 2.04 days and 75.00 ± 7.79% on P. guajava, respectively. Sex rate of D. moderata was 0.48 and 0.46 and longevity was 6.78 and 8.84 days for males and 10.23 and 10.07 days for females when this insect fed on E. cloeziana and P. guajava, respectively. Dirphia moderata presented better development and reproduction with E. cloeziana but P. guajava can also be used to rear this insect in the laboratory.
Eucalyptus defoliator; Saturniidae; Eucalypt
