Experimental test of the pupation window model for development of detritivorous insects

Cohort size and food availability to larval detritivores are linked to pupal mass, and hence to adult fitness, by the pupation window model. Previous tests of this model have employed artificial food. This paper derives a version of the model that incorporates the dynamics of natural detritus. Tests of the model using cohorts of Aedes triseriatus Say led to successful predictions of numbers of pupae, female pupal mass, and female development time. However, it is recommended that model parameters be estimated separately for different types of leaf litter.