Effects of Delayed Mating on the Reproductive Performance of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) is a serious pest of numerous solanaceous crops in many Asian countries. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of delayed mating on mating success, fecundity, fertility, pre-oviposition period, oviposition period, adult longevity, and population life table parameters (including net reproductive rate, intrinsic and finite rates of increase, doubling time, and mean generation time) of H. vigintioctopunctata. Beginning three days after emergence for both sexes, mating was delayed an additional 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 days. We compared the data when mating was delayed for males only with the data when mating was similarly delayed for females only. Reproductive and life table parameters were calculated from the two data sets and compared. The results showed that the preoviposition and oviposition period of adults was significantly reduced by delayed mating, while the preoviposition period was not significantly different in adults mated at older ages. The mating success rate, fecundity, and proportion of hatching eggs decreased with increasing mating age. Longevity was not affected by the age at mating. Mating delay also affected the life table parameters of H. vigintioctopunctata, with a similar trend observed in the net reproductive rate and intrinsic and finite rates of increase, all of which decreased gradually as the number of delay days increased. The population doubling time increased with increases in mating age. The results also showed that delayed mating was an effective measure to consider in controlling H. vigintioctopunctata. It is hoped that our data will provide a scientific basis and contribute technical guidance for forecasting and integrated management of this pest.

Female delayed mating has a limited impact on the reproductive output of Cerambyx welensii, a synovigenic longhorn beetle

“…There is wide evidence that increased female age at mating is a detrimental factor impacting reproductive output and fitness, even if the nature and extent of the impact have been shown to be rather variable among species. Many examples are found in several orders of insects including Diptera (Cloonan et al, 2019; Gunathilaka et al, 2023; Lord et al, 2021), Hemiptera (Lentini et al, 2018; Waqas et al, 2020), Hymenoptera (Li et al, 2021), Blattodea (Barrett et al, 2008; Moore & Moore, 2001), Coleoptera (Amoah et al, 2019; Gerken & Campbell, 2018; Maklakov et al, 2007; Wang et al, 2021; Wenninger & Averill, 2006; Zhao et al, 2021) and Lepidoptera, mostly moths (Mori & Evenden, 2013; Torres‐Vila et al, 2002, and references therein) but also butterflies (Hiroki & Obara, 1997; Zijlstra et al, 1999). A decrease in the reproductive output of females experiencing mating delay may result from the oviposition of unfertilised eggs prior to mating, oocyte resorption (oosorption) and female death before completing egg laying, but also from senescence‐mediated processes such as decreased readiness to mate, loss of appeal to males, limitations to store or manage sperm and the build‐up of oocyte degradation products interfering with sperm transfer (Proshold, 1996; Stelinski & Gut, 2009; Torres‐Vila et al, 2002).…”

“…The effect of delayed mating on female reproductive output has been extensively studied in insects in recent decades. The fitness consequences of female delayed mating have been explored in many species in several orders and families including Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae (Lentini et al, 2018), Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae (Kant et al, 2013), Diptera: Sciaridae (Cloonan et al, 2019), Coleoptera: Anobiidae (Amoah et al, 2019), Chrysomelidae (Zhao et al, 2021), Coccinellidae (Wang et al, 2021), Dermestidae (Gerken & Campbell, 2018), Scarabaeidae (Wenninger & Averill, 2006), and above all Lepidoptera: Crambidae (Dhillon et al, 2019; Fadamiro & Baker, 1999), Lymantriidae (Tobin et al, 2014), Noctuidae (Wu et al, 2018), Phaudidae (Zheng et al, 2020), Pyralidae (Mphosi, 2019) and Tortricidae (Stelinski & Gut, 2009; Torres‐Vila et al, 2002). Investigations have included a number of issues such as reproductive biology (Karnavar, 1972; Keena & Sánchez, 2018; Lord et al, 2021; Maklakov et al, 2007), mate choice (Bista & Omkar, 2015) and sexual signalling (Baudry et al, 2021; Prosser et al, 1997), but the bulk of the research has focused on pest control by mating disruption (Mori & Evenden, 2013; Torres‐Vila et al, 2002, and references therein).…”