The species Conotrachelus psidii Marshall (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), considered a key pest of guava cultivation, is causing major damage in several producing countries of the fruit. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biological parameters of the pest under controlled conditions, through the development of a rearing technique of pre-pupae and pupae that would allow daily observations. It was found that the substrate for an appropriate development of these phases was moistened clay soil (with survival rate of 78%). This soil type was used in the rearing method, which was developed to work in a climatic chamber at a constant temperature of 25 ± 1ºC, 12 h photoperiod and 70% RH ± 10%. The biological stages of the egg, larva, pre-pupa, pupa and egg-pupa lasted, on average, 4.25, 12.2, 106.6, 14.88, and 138.4 days, respectively. The adult stages in the soil, beginning of feeding, pre-oviposition, longevity, and post-oviposition lasted on average 22, 11, 51.9, 149.32, and 7.18 days, respectively. The average oviposition period lasted 120.27 days, with an average of 343.63 eggs per female. By the proposed rearing method, the development of pre-pupae, pupae and adults of the guava weevil could be daily monitored, without requiring the construction of a new chamber by the insects, thus reducing stress and input in terms of energy.
Guava; biology; behavior
