D3356: Analysis of developmental characteristics of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Kolbe) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae)

Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (Kolbe), a representative edible insect, has been approved as a food ingredient and the largest number of insect farms in Korea. To elucidate relationships between these developmental characteristics, the egg period, head width, early weight, period of each instar and maximum weight of larvae (N=180) were investigated. Correlation and regression analyses were used for data analysis. We expected that the head width of third instar larvae would be related to the maximum weight of the larvae, but the results were different. Our results showed that the maximum weight of the larvae were significantly related to the egg- and second instar periods, early weight of the second- and third instars (p< 0.05), but not to head width. We also found a negative correlation between egg- and second instar periods and a positive correlation with the early weights of second- and third instar larvae. For regression analysis, the head width of each instar affects the early weight of each instar and the early weight of the next instar (p< 0.05), but the developmental period and maximum weight of larvae are not affected by the head width.