Fig 1. Representative images of the separation of larvae carried out in this work.

Fourth instar larva were aged and sexed based on the development of genital and thoracic imaginal discs, according to [33], who divided the fourth instar into nine phases (phase I to phase IX). In order to reduce stressful conditions to larvae, phases were grouped into five broader categories (I-II; III-IV; V-VI; VII-VIII and IX, respectively). A. (I-II); B. (III-male); C. (IV-female); D. (V-male); E. (VI-female); F. (VII-male); G. (VIII-female); H. (IX-male) and I. (IX-female).