Ch. latecincta latecincta rearing experiments

Germann, Christoph, Geiser, Michael & Borer, Matthias, 2023, A review of the Chrysolina species - subgenus Stichoptera Motschulsky, 1860 - in Switzerland, with notes on distribution, conservation and preimaginal stages (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae), Alpine Entomology 7, pp. 69-82 : 69

Ch. latecincta latecincta rearing experiments

Note.

15 adults from Griespass (Ulrichen, Valais) were kept alive in couples in the same multiuse boxes ( Germann 2021) and kept on Linaria purpurea (after the 2nd instar Linaria vulgaris was used temporarily), as with Ch. kuesteri , which was well accepted. In the middle of September 2021 already three eggs were laid, one of the larvae survived and moulted a fist time till 23rd September, and a second time on 3rd October. From middle of December to February 2022 the larva did not feed anymore and hardly moved. Beginning of March the larva died of unknown reason and despite (or because?) of the mild winter. Three females laid more than 20 eggs (Fig. 7a ) from middle to end of March 2022. The larvae hatched in the beginning of April (Fig. 7b, c ) and moulted a first time till middle of April, a second (Fig. 7d ), third (Fig. 7e, f ) and fourth time in May and likely a fifth time till beginning of June (Fig. 7g ), when a first pupa was found (Fig. 7h ).

Bourdonné et al. (2013) reported, that Ch. latecincta latecincta develops on an Linaria alpina and L. supina , as well as Antirrhinum latifolium Mill. in the French Alps (800-1500 m) and they develop from September to April, with a quiescence inbetween. The same authors reported a larval development from May to June for Ch. latecincta decipiens (Franz, 1938) from the Pyrenees.

Figures

Figure 7. a-f. Preimaginal stages of Chrysolina latecincta latecincta from Griespass. a. Egg; b. Freshly hatched larva; c. First instar larval; d. Third instar Larva; e. Freshly moulted larva after 3 rd moult; f. Fourth instar larva in February; g. Fifth (Last) larval instar; h. Pupa (Photos: C. Germann).