Life tables and intrinsic rate of natural increase of C. flavipes population zyx 175 zy FORCE, zyxwvutsrqp D. C., 1970: Competition among four hymenopterous parasites of endomic hosts. Ann. HOWE, R. W., 1953: The rapid determination of intrinsic rate of increase of an insect population. LAING, J. E., 1969: Life history and life table of Tetranychus urticae Koch. Acarologia zyx 11, 3242. MESSENGER, P. S., 1964: Use of life tables in a biolimatic study of an experimental aphid-braconid WATSON, T. F., 1964: Influence of host plant conditions on population increase of Tetranychus appl. Biol. 40, 134-155. Appl. Biol. 40, 134-155. wasp host parasite system. Ecology. 41i, 119-131. telerium (L.) (Acarina: Tetranychidae). Hilgardia. 35, 273-322. Authors' address: Dr. P. K. NIKAM; Dr. T. V. SATHE, Department of Zoology, Marathwada University, Aurangabad - 431 004, India Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, zyxwvut A. R. Egypt Studies on food consumption, host selection and oviposition preference of the Egyptian alfalfa weevil, Hypera brunneipennis Boh. (Col., Curculionidae) By M. A. ALI Abstract Larval sta e of the Egyptian alfalfa weevil, Hypera brunneipennis Boh. consumed an average of 400.3 mg &om the foilage of the Egyptian clover at 25 "C and 10 h photophase. About 87.4 zy Yo of that amount was eaten by both 3rd and 4th instars. Female and male weevils consumed 272.1 and 209.1 mg, respectively, through 10 successive days. Averages of 371.9, 442.6, 400.3, 316.4 and 616.3 mg from foliage of alfalfa, broad bean, E ptian clover, chick ea and fenu reek were and the least from foliage of chickpea. The host plant which was preferred as food for adults was also preferred as oviposition substratum. Weevils preferred the Egyptian clover over alfalfa, chickpea and lupins, however, fenugreek was the most preferred food. Similarly, fernales referred fenugreek as oviposition substratum over all the tested host plants where they depositexthe highest number of zyx eggs. Lupins proved to be a rejected food and supressed fecundity. consumed by the larval stage. Adult stage consumeTthe greatest amount P rom foliage of fenugreek 1 Introduction The E yptian alfalfa weevil (EAW), Hypera brunneipennis Boh. is one of the most d estructive pests of the Egyptian clover (Barseem)in Egypt. It was found that larval and adult stages attack foliage of alfalfa causing profound loss of yield and quality in USA (SUMMERS and MCCLELLAN 1975). The insect was also recorded as a serious pest damaging cherris, apricot, strawberris and beans (USDA 1973). Food consumption of the EAW, H. brunneipennis larval and adult stages is influenced by numerous factors (BARNES and RATCLIFFE 1967; KOEHLER and PIMENTEL 1973). OKIWELU (1977) found that alfalfa consumption depends on U.S. Copyright Clearance Center Code Statement: 0044-2240/83/9502-0175 !$ 02.50/0 Z. ang. Ent. 95 (1983), 175-180 0 1983 Verlag Paul Parey, Hamburg und Berlin ISSN 0044-2240 / Intercode: ZANEAE