A laboratory procedure for rearing the cowpea coreid, clavigralla tomentosicollis Stål (Hemiptera), using dry cowpea seeds

A procedure for rearing Clavigralla tomentosicollis on dry seeds of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is described. Dry seeds produced results for nymphal development and adult oviposition similar to those from fresh pods and fresh seeds, which are more frequently fed on by the insect in nature. The rearing method described is much more efficient in terms of time and manpower requirements than the widely used method using fresh pods. Furthermore, the dry-seed procedure may be adapted for rearing other hemipterous pod pests of legumes.