Abstract: 【Aim】 Feeding potential of insect pests suggests their ecology and economy and that may direct to extend control measure of them. Can the quantitative order of food consumption during developmental or mature period in different pest species be considered in groups together as closely or diversely related species? To resolve the posed question relative to feeding prototype among different pest species will make possible to dig the solution. 【Methods】 Quantitative measure of food consumption in four Indian agricultural pests of Acrididae, viz., Hieroglyphus banian (Fab.), Acrida exaltata (Walk.), Spathosternum prasiniferum prasiniferum (Walk.) and Oxya fuscovittata (Mars.) (Orthoptera: Acrididae), were studied. Food consumption per day and total consumption in lifetime for all instars and during lifespan of adults for both sexes of each species were estimated. 【Results】 Within the framework of polyphagous nature and among diverse food sources, only ‘the most preferred’ host plants were provided to all tests. An identical pattern of consumption rate was noticed among four studied species and it was progressively increased with the advancement of nymphal stages. In all species, females consumed significantly more than males and during adult period all the pests consumed significantly higher than their juvenile days. The amount of consumed food at any nymphal or adult period was notably allied with nymphal or adult period. A. exaltata and S. pr. prasiniferum were marginally related than the rest two species in terms of lifetime food consumption and mean survival period. The uni- and bivoltine pests (H. banian and A. exaltata, respectively) were more closely related species than the two related multivoltine pests (S. pr. prasiniferum and O. fuscovittata) in terms of their lifetime food consumption and mean life survival. 【Conclusion】 Species with longer lifespan, which complete one or two generations per year,are more comparable in feeding potentiality than the short lived species which complete more than two generations per year. An inclusive understanding in this regard may be possible after studying on a number of pest species from different voltine nature.

Key words:  Orthoptera, acridid pests, food consumption, lifespan, life survival, host plants