Abstract:  In this article, the rationales of data analysis of group-reared life table and the methods of converting them into individually-reared life table were described. The daily record of group-reared life table is actually the matrix N of the age-stage, two-sex life table, while the record of daily total fecundity of all females is the matrix Ftotal. Based on the matrices of N and Ftotal, the age-stage survival rate matrix S, the fecundity matrix F and the population parameters can be calculated. Using Myzus persicae and Phthorimaea operculella as examples, we clarified the theoretical basis of group-reared life table, proved the parameters obtained from the group-reared life table to be reliable, and introduced a method to convert group-reared life table into individually-reared life table. We also compared the features of group-reared life table and individually-reared life table. The application of group rearing to study insect life tables can not only save a lot of labor, time and cost, but also can be used to design mass-rearing system for the production of natural enemies for biological control, insects as foods for birds and fishes, and edible insects for human.

Key words: Age-stage, two-sex life table, group-rearing, computer simulation, population prediction, biological control