Wheat-Germ Diets for Insects: Rearing the Boll Weevil1 and the Salt-Marsh Caterpillar234

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Abstract
The use of wheat-germ diets for insects is reviewed. Modification of these diets and nutritional experiments conducted with them are discussed. Larvae of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, developed to adults on wheat-germ diet if cholesterol was included in the diet. Oviposition of boll weevil adults in wheat-germ diet was similar to that in germinated cottonseed diet. Moths of the salt-marsh caterpillar, Estigmene acrea (Drury), reared on wheat-germ diet and on casein diet containing corn oil, had deformed wings. However, when linolenic acid was added to the casein diet, the moths emerged with normal wings, an indication that this insect has a dietary requirement for linolenic acid. Linseed oil was used as a source of linolenic acid in the wheat-germ diet. Because wheat-germ diet was shown to be deficient in sterol and linolenic acid for certain species, quantitative requirements for these nutrients should be investigated when other species are reared on wheat-germ-based diets.