| dc.description.abstract | Significance economic value of the larva of Tenebrio molitor beetle (called : mealworm) made researchers finding out methods and means to increase mealworm production. Manipulating egg laying media was one of the mean. This research was done from July up to October 2005 at Non Ruminants and Prospective Animal Division, Department of Animal Production Technology, Faculty of Animal Science, Bogor Agricultural University. The purpose of this research was to compare total and mass weight of the mealworm from four different egg laying media. The egg laying media used as the treatments were feed, cotton, dry banana leaves and rotten wood. This study used 1600 T. molitor beetles which had a day old. Completely Randomize Design was used as the experimental design with four replications for each treatment. The observed variables were total of the larva, mass weight and body weight of each larvas. The obtained data were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and tested with Duncan's Multiple Range Test. The result showed that cotton was the best egg laying media compared to three other media. Total and mass weight of the mealworm at cotton media (4164,s larvas and 61,028 g) were higher than other media (feed : 3029,s larvas and 59,965 g, dry banana leaves : 1836,s larvas and 47,725 g, rotten wood : 1842,5 larvas and 44,930 g). Dry banana leaves and rotten wood media could be used by the farmer if he wants to increase body weight of each larvas. Combination of egg laying media could be taken into account such as dry banana leaves or rotten wood and feed. Key words : Tenebrio molitor, Mealworm, Egg laying media | en |
