A biologia de Diabrotica speciosa (Germar, 1824) foi estudada em câmaras climatizadas, ajustadas para 18, 20, 22, 25, 30 e 32 ºC e fotofase de 14 h. O alimento utilizado para o desenvolvimento larval foram raízes seminais de milho pipoca, previamente tratadas com uma mistura de fungicidas (Thiabendazole: 1.0 g/kg e Captan: 1.5 g/kg). O desenvolvimento das fases de ovo, larva-adulto e ovo-adulto, na faixa de 18 a 32ºC, esteve inversamente correlacionado com a temperatura. Os limiares térmicos inferiores de desenvolvimento foram de 11,1ºC (ovo); 10,9º C (larva-adulto) e 11,04ºC (ovo-adulto). As constantes térmicas da fase de ovo, período larva-adulto e período ovo-adulto foram 119,1, 355,9 e 474,9 graus-dia, respectivamente.
The biology of Diabrotica speciosa (Germar, 1824) was studied in incubators at 18, 20, 22, 25, 30 and 32ºC, and 14 h photophase. Seedlings of popcorn, previously treated with a fungicide mixture (Thiabendazole: 1.0 g/kg e Captan: 1.5 g/kg) were used as food for the corn rootworm biological studies. There was an inverse relationship between the life cycle length and the temperature in the range of 18 to 32ºC. The threshold of temperature was similar for all developmental stages of D. speciosa. The threshold of temperature was 11.1ºC for eggs, 10.9ºC for the larval-adult period and 11.04ºC for egg-adult period. Thermal requeriments for eggs, larval-adult and egg-adult periods were 119.1, 355.9, and 474.9 degree-days, respectively.