Feeding Effects of three Verities of Date fruits on the Biology of Ephestia (Cadra) cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

The study investigates the impact of feeding the fig moth, Ephstia (Cadra) cautella (Walker), on three varieties of Libyan dates (Saeidi Awjila, Saeidi Gallo, and Bekrary from the West Coast) under laboratory and incubator conditions. The main findings reveled that the life cycle duration of C. cautella was significantly affected by the rearing environment. The life cycle lasted 60.1 ± 6.1 days outside the incubator and 79.2 ± 6.6 days inside the incubator when larvae were fed mixed date varieties. Inside the incubator, the larval stage duration was not significantly influenced by the date varieties. Outside the incubator, a significant difference in the larval stage duration was observed between the Bekrary variety and the Saeidi Awjila and Saeidi Gallo varieties. The longest life cycle was recorded on cut Bekrary dates outside the incubator, averaging 85.8 ± 9.9 days. The shortest life cycle was observed on perforated Saeidi Awjila dates inside the incubator, averaging 53.8 ± 2.6 days. The physical form of the dates (cut or perforated) influenced the development period, highlighting its role in the insect’s life cycle. The variety of dates significantly affected the completion time of the life cycle, suggesting that fruit characteristics, such as texture or nutrient composition, play a critical role in fig moth development. This study underscores the importance of both environmental conditions and the type of date variety in determining the life cycle longevity. Such findings can help optimize pest management strategies by identifying date varieties and storage conditions that may hinder the rapid development of C. cautella.