【目的】油茶象Curculio chinensis Chevrolat是我国特有木本油料树种——油茶Camellia spp.的专性蛀果害虫,常导致其大量落果。本文旨在揭示该虫发生危害与寄主果实大小的关系,并探讨其产卵行为策略。【方法】于油茶象产卵高峰期在小果油茶Camellia meiocarpa林随机采摘960个果实,清查油茶象刺孔数和窝卵数,并对果重、果长和果径进行了测量,用单因素方差分析比较产卵果、取食果和非受害果大小差异性,用线性回归分析果实特征对油茶象取食及产卵活动的影响。同时对油茶象雌虫进行了果实大小选择性试验,用配对样本t检验分析选择果与非选择果的大小差异性。【结果】在果重、果长、果径和果实体积方面,产卵果>取食果>非受害果(P<0.01),刺孔数、窝卵数和寄生率与果实大小呈极显著线性正相关(P<0.01),说明油茶象雌虫优先选择大果实取食和产卵。当两供试果实差异显著时,油茶象雌虫对大果实表现出明显的偏好选择性,危害12 h后,重受害果长度和直径都显著大于轻受害果(P<0.01)。油茶象雌虫每次只产1粒卵,卵单产是油茶象本身的属性,与果实特征无关。【结论】油茶象优先选择大果实取食,支持最优觅食理论。油茶象优先选择大果实产卵。窝卵数越小,油茶象种内竞争越弱,幼体正常发育并成功脱果的概率越高,适合度增加。卵单产是油茶象应对寄主果实食物资源限制作用的一种“风险分散”行为适应策略。 【Objective】 Curculio chinensis Chevrolat is a peculiar boring pest of Camellia spp., A tree species endemic to China. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the relationship between the damage of the insect and the size of the host fruit and to explore its oviposition behavior strategy. 【Method】 Nine hundred and sixty-six fruits were collected randomly from the Camellia meiocarpa forest in Camellia oleifera plantation during the peak of spawning of Camellia oleifera. The number of punctures and number of eggs in Camellia oleifera were measured. The fruit weight, fruit length and fruit diameter were measured. Variance analysis was used to compare the size differences of spawning fruit, fruit picking and non-fruit picking, and the linear regression was used to analyze the effects of fruit characteristics on the feeding and spawning activities of oil tea. At the same time, we carried out the size-selective experiments on the fruits of Camellia as the females, and analyzed the differences in the size of the selected fruit and the non-selected fruit by the paired sample t-test. 【Result】 The results showed that spawning fruit> fruit feeding> non-victim fruit (P <0.01), number of punctures, number of eggs and parasitism were significantly different from fruit size in fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter and fruit volume Linear correlation (P <0.01), indicating that Camellia-like females preferred large fruit feeding and oviposition. When the difference between the two test fruits was significant, Camellia asiatica showed obvious preference preference to the large fruit. After 12 h, the length and diameter of the damaged fruit were significantly greater than that of the susceptible fruit (P <0.01). Camellia-like females produce only one egg at a time, and egg production is a property of Camellia itself, which has nothing to do with the characteristics of the fruit. 【Conclusion】 Camellia as the priority choice for large fruit feeding, support the optimal foraging theory. Camellia elephants prefer to lay eggs. The smaller the number of eggs, the weaker the intra-species competition, the higher the probability of larvae developing normally and successfully decapitating, and the fitness increased. Egg production is a “risk-dispersed ” behavioral adaptation strategy that limits the role of Camellia oleifera to host fruit food resources.