THE CONSEQUENCE OF CHEMICAL USE ON CERASTUS MOUSSONIANUS HATCHABILITY

Abstract

Cerastus moussonianus (Gastropoda: Enidae) Petit, 1851 is a land snail, found in gardens, cultivated field, compounds, road sides, underside the stones and woods etc. in Maharashtra. Its population reaches at high peak in the rainy season. They come out from the shell when environment is favorable (no matter whether it is day or night time) for the food and mating. C. moussonianus is known to cause severe damage to the plants, especially the vegetables in the fields and home gardens. Through regular field and laboratory observation, the mating behaviour viz. duration of mating, courtship behaviour, egg nesting behavior and oviposition were studied. The snails were supplied with fresh Aloe vera and Brassica leaves as food after every 24 hrs.