Laboratory Rearing of the Parsnip Webworm, Depressaria pastinacella (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae)

Abstract
A procedure for establishing a laboratory colony of the parsnip webworm, Depressaria pastinacella (Duponchel), is described. Because adults are initially in reproductive diapause, moths must be cold-treated for oviposition to occur. An artificial oviposition substrate and a semidefined artificial diet for larvae were developed to allow year-round rearing with minimal reliance on fresh plant material.