Change in Rate of Feeding and Assimilation in Antheraea mylitta Fed on Two Major Food Plants and its Effect on Silk Production and Reproduction

Antheraea mylitta is a polyphagous and autogenous insect. About 206.8 g wet leaves of Terminalia tomentosa or 188.7 g of Terminalia arjuna were consumed by Antheraea mylitta from hatching to gut purging of which 81% of leaves were eaten during V instar. Irrespective of food plant both rate of feeding and assimilation declined significantly with the development of the larvae. The Relative Growth Rate (RGR) was found highest during II instar and then declined. The metabolic efficiency of the larvae declined up to IV instar followed by an increase during V instar. Significantly higher consumption, assimilation, growth and respiration were measured in the larvae fed on T. tomentosa. While significantly higher feeding rate was observed in T. arjuna fed larvae during II and V instar over T. tomentosa fed ones but the assimilation rate remained at lower level. The silk production by the larvae fed with T. tomentosa and the reproductive fitness of the moths developed from it were found to be significantly higher than that of T. arjuna fed ones. Thus, T. tomentosa proves its comparative superiority over T. arjuna.