In order to determine the duration of the post-embryonic development and its instars, eggs of Anteos menippe were collected from Cassia ferruginea leaves and were taken into the laboratory to register the dates of ecdysis. The post-embryonic development was (in days average ± standard error) 25.7 ± 0.4, the larval period 15.9 ± 0.3 represented 61.7% of the development and had five instars: L1 = 2.2 ± 0.1, L2 = 1.7 ± 0.2, L3 = 2.0 ± 0.1, L4 = 3.4 ± 0.1 and L5 = 6.4 ± 0.3. This last instar had an active phase (5.4 ± 0.3) and a prepupal phase (1 day long). The pupal period was 9.9 ± 0.2. The inactivity period (prepupa + pupa) 10.9 ± 0.2 days represented 42.2% of the post-embryonic development, and the active phase 57.8%. The egg viability was 91.6% and the survival, starting from neonate larvae, was 59.8%.
Coliadinae; ontogeny; host-plant; sex ratio
