author(s)
Tahera Hossain, M Yasmin, MH Islam, ATMF Islam and ASM Saifullah

abstract
Three different photoperiodic regimes, 24h light (LL), 24h dark (DD) and 12h light: 12h dark (LD) were used to assess the development of hide beetle, Dermestes maculates in dried kachki fish. The pre-oviposition period, incubation period, total larval period and pupal period lasted for 5.6, 3.5, 19.7 and 5.2 days, respectively at LL regime which were significantly longer compared with the period of 3.7, 2.5, 14.0 and 4.2 days for DD and 4.0, 2.3, 14.1 and 4.1 days respectively for LD photo phase. While oviposition period was shorter (35.0 days) in LL than in DD (41.8) and LD (42.4 days). Total developmental period (egg to adult emergence) was 28.4 days at LL regime and reduced to 20.5 days and 20.7 at LD and DD regime respectively. The fecundity was highest (503.83) in LD, intermediated (430.50) in DD and lowest (215.17) was recorded in LL photophase. Hatchability was found significantly highest in LD (69.2%) and DD (68.4%) compared with LL (54.8%). Survival rate of eggs, larvae and pupae were also highest in LD and DD regime than in LL regime. Adults were long lived at LD photophase (male-171.0 days and female-74.3 days) and DD (male-141.3 days and female-72.9 days) than LL photophase (male-102.6 days and female-47.5 days). These results revealed that continuous photophase (LL) is not suitable for the development and reproduction of D. maculatus. It may suggest that continuous light condition (LL) is better than DD and LD photoperiodic regime to suppress D. maculates infestation in stored dried fish.