Effects of dextrin and cellulose on feeding and reproduction in female brown-banded cockroaches, Supella longipalpa

Abstract Food consumption and reproduction were compared through two gonotrophic cycles in female brown-banded cockroaches, Supella longipalpa (F.), fed a standard rat food diet which had been serially diluted with methyl cellulose, alpha cellulose or dextrin. Females did not increase daily intake to compensate for dilution, and reproductive rate was highly dependent upon the degree of dilution of the diet. With increasing dextrin concentrations, digestibility increased, but reproductive rate, size and mass of oothecae, and efficiency of food utilization progressively decreased.
On diets containing 75% rat food and 25% methyl cellulose, females consumed minimal amounts of food and 80% of the females did not mate or produce oothecae within 30 days. On identical diets containing 25% alpha cellulose, food digestibility decreased and females ate significantly more than females fed 25% methyl cellulose, but less than females fed rat food. Many (65%) females fed 25% alpha cellulose produced oothecae which were smaller and took longer to form than in control females fed on rat food. At concentrations higher than 50% of either methyl or alpha cellulose daily intake was further reduced and females died rapidly.