Biology, Weight Measurement and Larval Time Consumption of Lemon Butterfly, Papilio Demoleus Linnaeus (1758) on Citrus Limon Leaves under Laboratory Conditions

Abstract

The research study on the biology of the lemon butterfly was carried out under laboratory conditions in Date Palm Research Institute (DPRI) from July to December 2020-21. The collection was made from lemon leaves and placed into jars, later on inside the mosquito net (4x7ft) reared at 25±2°C relative temperature and 65±5% R.H. For oviposition a couple of adult male/female (♂:♀) were individually released, on tender twigs, an adult female laid egg singly, then separately eggs were placed inside the Petri dishes. The egg incubation period lasted overall 2.99±0.13^f, 4.00±0.08^e, 4.20±0.06^e, 4.98±0.10^d, 3.98±0.08^e, and 4.99±0.09^d mean days for 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th larvae stages. The pre-pupae 1.84±0.04^g, pupae 4.04±0.09^e, post-pupae 1.53±0.10^g consumed mean days, and adult male consumed 3.81±0.09^e, female 6.74±0.08^c mean days, total male longevity 36.18±0.39^b, female 39.11±0.37^a mean days lasted. Whereas mean egg hatching % 95.05±0.58^a and 83.80±1.11b^c, 91.91±0.78a^b, 88.55±1.95^ab, 85.77±2.56b^c, 74.51±2.98^d 1^st to 5^th larvae stages, pupae 45.92±1.57^e, adult male 21.21±1.05^fg, female 24.71±0.93^f survival % were recorded. The overall different five-stage larvae mean calculated 0.03, 0.05, 0.11, 0.16, 0.48, pre-pupae 0.76, pupae, 0.52 and post-pupae 0.46 in grams, respectively. From 1^st up to last stage of larvae for food-seeking to reach at 5cm distance lasted 4.39, 3.76, 2.85, 2.01, and 1.12 minutes and seconds. The novelty of this research determines that Papilio demoleus serve as citrus destructive pest during their developing stages. It is strictly needed and an immediate call more work should be performed for healthy future perspective to combat form this plague pest.