Abstract: 【Aim】 This study aims to confirm and elucidate the feeding behaviour of adult Bactrocera minax on male inflorescence of Castanea mollissima in the wild, so as to provide references for prevention and control of this insect using non-chemical control methods in China. 【Methods】 The feeding behavior of adult B. minax on male inflorescence of C. mollissima was tracked with video technology and analyzed. 【Results】 The results showed that the feeding behaviour of adult B. minax was characterized by four phases, i. e., walking, feeding, grooming and inactivity, and the sequence of these four phases was not fixed. Except being unable to go from the inactivity phase to the feeding phase, adult B. minax could optionally transit from one phase to another among the four phases. The proportion of frequency of each behavior of adult B. minax in the order from high to low was as follows: walking＞feeding＞grooming＞inactivity. The average time of the inactivity phase was significantly longer than that of the feeding, grooming and walking phase, and the difference in the average time was not obvious among the feeding, grooming and walking phases. There was no significant difference in the proportion of frequency and average time of each phase between females and males. 【Conclusion】 These results confirm the presence of feeding behavior of adult B. minax on male inflorescence of C. mollissima.

Key words: Bactrocera minax; Castanea mollissima, male inflorescence, feeding behaviour, proportion of frequency, average time