Breeding and biology of Hypsipyla grandella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) fed with mahogany seeds (Swietenia macrophylla King)

•A method of mass rearing of Hypispyla grandella based on a diet of mahogany seeds was proposed.•The diet provided uniform sizes and weights for each caterpillar instar and a low adult deformation rate.•The mahogany seeds offered a good supply of quality insects for performance of bioassays.

The shoot borer, Hypsipyla grandella Zeller, is a Lepidopteran that practically covers the entire Brazilian territory. Its damage to mahogany is so intense that it can prevent establishment of commercial plantations of the species. Studies of its control are critical for mahogany planting in different regions to be feasible and sustainable. To conduct bioassays and studies of this insect's biology, mass rearing is necessary. This study aimed to develop a method of mass rearing based on a diet of mahogany seeds. Caterpillars arising from mahogany populations located in Brasilia, Brasil were placed in plastic containers containing mahogany seeds. Morphological and morphometric aspects were evaluated through eight successive generations. The mahogany seeds produced a good supply of quality insects for performance of bioassays, with uniform sizes and weights for each instar and a low adult deformation rate.

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