ROLE OF BURSA COPULATRIX IN OOSORPTION IN CADRA CAUTELLA (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

Calco Red incorporated into the diet of the almond moth larvae, Cadra cautella Walker, stained developing oocytes in virgin females. During oocyte degeneration stained contents from oocytes were traced to the bursa copulatrix. Females of different ages showed a direct correlation between the intensity of stain in the bursa copulatrix and the number of oocytes that were digested. The results indicate that, in some Lepidoptera, the bursa copulatrix is involved in the storage and distribution of metabolites during oosorption.