LABORATORY OBSERVATIONS ON THE METALLIC BEETLE, ANTHAXIA CONGREGATA KLUG. (COLEOPTERA: BUPRESTIDAE)

Laboratory investigations indicated that the metallic beetle Anthaxia congregate kiug. (Coleoptera; Buprestidae) has one generation per year. Population follow up revealed two distinct peaks of adult oc­currence by the ends of April and May, respectively. Pupae and adults were abundant from March till June. Significant positive correlation occurred between the number of emerged beetles and the maximum temperature, while the effect of minimum tempera­ture was insignificant. Relative humidity showed a negative relationship with the number of emerged beetles. The effect of minimum tempera­ture on the population of full grown larvae was significantly negative. Similarly, the effect of relative humidity on the abudance of pupae was negative and significant. The percentages of natural larval, pupal and adult mortalities were 6.9, 1.3 and 2.6%, respectively, while the percentages of parasit­ism by an unidentified chalcidid parasitoid and beetles emergence were 19% and 70.2%, respectively. Generation duration ranged 351-400 days and the period of emergence extended tol -20 days. The number of emerged beetles dif­fered according to host. The highest number of emerged beetles was produced from acacia cuttings (42 beetles), while the least number re­sulted from fig cuttings (12 beetles).