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INFLUENCE OF DIETARY COPPER AND ZINC ON GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION OF THE HOUSE CRICKET (ORTHOPTERA: GRYLLIDAE)1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

J. E. McFarlane
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, Macdonald Campus of McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec

Abstract

The addition of copper to an artificial diet greatly improves growth of the house cricket, Acheta domesticus (L.). Adding zinc improves growth in the presence of added copper, but not in its absence, indicating an interaction between the two trace elements. Reproduction is always ’normal’ with added copper in the diet. Zinc added at a low level will support ’normal’ reproduction, but not at high levels. Survival is poor without added copper in the diet. It is suggested that the minimum growth requirements for zinc and copper are a total of 23 μg/g diet and 14 μg/g diet respectively.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1976

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References

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