A new culture method for lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus

A new culture methodfor lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus(Panzer), was developed to provide large numbers of adultlesser mealwormsof approximately the same age for insecticide resistance testing. Culturing entailed allowing 100 adultsto reproduce for 4 days in a wheat-based culture medium contained inside a plastic culture box, removing the adultsfrom the medium, and then rearing their progeny to adulthood therein, in approximately 56 days at 32 degrees C and 55% RH. During their development, progeny were supplied water via apple slices at 0, 21 and 35 days, and a foam substrate in which to pupate, also at 35 days. During 2004-2005, adultlesser mealwormswere collected from six broiler-house populations and then cultured with this method. Each population produced 4500 adultsrequired to complete resistance testing with one insecticide within ten culture boxes, at an average of 798 adultsper culture box.