Croissance, bilan d'energie et production d'eau metabolique chez la larve de Tineola bisselliella

The keratophagous larva Tineola bisselliella develops better in a dry than in a wet environment at the constant temperature of 20 °C. At 95% relative humidity (RH), mortality is higher than 80% and the larval life lasts up to 341 days. At 5% RH, mortality reaches only 30% and the larval life lasts only 216 days. The study of utilization of the energy contained in 3680 μg of food (mukrat hair) at 95% RH and then at 5% RH shows the physiological reactions of the larva when the RH is modified. At 5% RH, the larva ingest the 3680 μg of food in 17 days while they ingest the same amount in 10 days at 5% RH. For the same quantity of ingested energy, the energetic value lost by respiration and silk secretion are more important at 95% RH than at 5% RH. In a very wet environment, the energy lost in the feces is reduced. At 5% RH, the production of body tissue and the storage of the ingested energy are twice as high as those at 95% RG, in spite of a loss of water which may exceed 4 μg/h. The production of metabolic ...