Life history and annual number of generations in common potter wasp, Delta conoides Gmelin (Hymenoptera: Eumenidae)

The life history of Delta conoides Gmelin revealed three generations per year. Each generation exhibited an egg stage, three larval stages and a pupal stage. In different generations, the duration of egg stage was 26 h (I generation), 32 h (II generation), 38 h (III generation); first instar larvae was 38–40 h (I generation), 42–44 h (II generation), 48 h (III generation); second instar larvae was 42 h (I generation), 46 h (II generation), 38 h (III generation); and the third instar larvae was 40–42 h (I generation), 45–48 h (II generation) and 37–39 h (III generation). The pupal stage lasted for 18–20 days (I generation), 24 days (II generation) and 15 days (III generation). The individuals in the third generation (January-May) of pupal stage surviving as dormant pupae during early June, transformed to adult in late June, July and August intermittently.