Temperature-dependent demography of Supella longipalpa (Blattodea: Blattellidae)

The demography of the brownbanded cockroach, Supella longipalpa (F.) (Blattodea: Blattellidae), was studied based on the age-stage, two-sex life table at 25, 29, and 33 degrees C. Females incubated at the three temperatures produced 11.8, 14.6, and 12.8 oothecae per female, respectively. The life expectancy for a newborn was 157.2, 207.7, and 147.9 d, respectively. The intrinsic rate of increase at these temperatures was 0.0161, 0.0306, and 0.0398 d(-1), respectively. The net reproductive rate was 35.3, 100.9, and 87.2 offspring, respectively. The mean generation time was 222.1, 151.1, and 112.5 d, respectively. In the absence of other limiting factors, our results indicate that populations of S. longipalpa would be expected to establish and increase if introduced into environments where temperature was within 25 and 33 degrees C.