Abstract

Relative humidity and temperature, and Prostephanus truncatus trap catch data for Chikhwawa District in Southern Malawi and for the period 1996, 1997, 1999, 2002 and 2008, was fitted into a model of predicting P. truncatus abundance. Results showed that none of the climatic factors studied had a significant effect on P. truncatus abundance. In predicting the abundance of P. truncatus, the model underestimated the actual trap catches. However, the observed difference were not significant (Χ² test, asymptote significance = 1, P = 0.05). With serial P. truncatus trap catch data, the model has potential to predict the abundance of P. truncatus. There is the need to validate the model by using current climate data and P. truncatus trap catches from different agroecosytems.

Key words: Prostephanus truncatus, Bostrichidae, abundance.