Food trees and fecundity of forest cockchafer Melolontha hippocastani Fabr

The forest cockchafer Melolontha hippocastani Fabr., is a significant forest pest in Europe; food tree quality is limiting for the fecundity of its females. Laboratory experiments with breeding adults were conducted after their hibernation, with each individual offered leaves from 20 tree species. The weight of adults and production of eggs in relation to food were studied in the first oviposition. Food trees affected the fecundity and the frequency of egg-laying females very positively (Quercus petraea, Larix decidua, Acer pseudoplatanus, Populus nigra), significantly (Q. rubra, Aesculus hippocastanum, Carpinus betulus, Sorbus aucuparia, Malus sp.), non-significantly (Betula pendula, Fagus sylvestris, Corylus avellana, Juglans regia, Populus tremula). Tilia cordata, Sambucus nigra, and Robinia pseudoacacia exhibited no influence on egg laying. Food tree species during breeding positively affected the increasing weight of females feeding on Q. petraea, Q. rubra, P. nigra, P. tremula, C. betulus, A. hippocastanum, and S. aucuparia.