Abstract: The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is an important international quarantine insect pest. To understand the influence of different rearing conditions and intraspecific individual communications on biological parameters of the EAB adults, the adult longevity, food consumption, oviposition and oviposition duration were determined by group rearing, couple rearing, single female rearing without separation, single female rearing under visual separation and single female rearing under olfactory separation in laboratory. The results showed that separate rearing reduced the longevity and fecundity of EAB adults. The adult longevity and fecundity differed significantly (P<0.05) among different treatments, but there was no significant difference in oviposition (P>0.05). No separation for single female rearing gave the longest average longevity (32.40 d), while group rearing caused the shortest average longevity (20.77 d). The average longevity in the treatment of single female rearing was longer than those in couple rearing and group rearing. For single female rearing, adults with visual separation consumed the maximum ash leaf (156.16 mm² per day), while those with olfactory separation consumed the least ash leaf (107.35 mm² per day). No separation for single female rearing caused the highest oviposition and the longest oviposition duration, which was 98.33 d and 21.33 d, respectively. It is concluded that block of intraspecific individual communications significantly influences the feeding, development and fecundity of EAB adults, and olfactory plays the most important roles in intraspecific individual communications and vision follows. In addition, disturbance or competition among individuals may also have some effects on the longevity and fecundity of EAB adults. These findings provide theoretical supports for the EAB management using separation measures such as planting mixed tree species.

Key words: Agrilus planipennis, rearing conditions, longevity, leaf consumption, oviposition, oviposition duration