Artificial Rearing Substrata of Chironomid Larvae (Diptera, Chironomidae)

Three kinds of rearing substrata (smashed filter paper, tissue paper, rinsed tissue paper) were tested for the rearing of Chironomus yoshimatsui and C. kiiensis larvae in comparison with sifted and heated paddy soil. Under the same rearing conditions (temperature, photoperiod, food, aeration and rearing density), percentage emergence, sex ratio, number of ovarian eggs and wing length were not significantly different among these four substrata, but developmental period was significantly different between paper and soil substrata. Chemical treatment to remove impurities and boiling the paper substrata as done by previous authors is not necessary with this method.