THE EFFECT OF AGE ON CALLING BEHAVIOUR OF VIRGIN FEMALES OF EPIPHYAS POSTVITTANA (LEPIDOPTERA) AND ON THEIR PHEROMONE CONTENT AND OVARIAN DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Observations were made on the calling behaviour of virgin female Epiphyas postvittana, and on associated factors. The amount of calling varied with the age of the female, the longest total durations being on days 2 and 6 of adult life and the shortest on day 4. It is probable that the peak of activity occurs on day 2. The pattern o.f calling on day 6 was abnormal, probably as a result of the onset of senescence.Total pheromone content and the number of mature eggs in the ovary also varied with age. The pheromone content increased until day 5 and then dropped sharply --probably again due to senescence --and the number of mature eggs increased until days 3 and 4. The number on day 4 was not significantly different from that on day 3, but the high variance on day 4 indicated some females had oviposited. A 2-hour call by day-3 female~ caused a substantial drop in total pheromone content.

Calling behaviour of adult female Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lep., Noctuidae) of overwintering generation and effects of mating

“…1). This may be related to differences in reproductive maturity, as noted by Swier et al, 1977 for the black cutworm, Agnotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), and by Lawrence and Bartell (1972) for the light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker). In their studies, a closer relationship between the percentage calling and ovarian development was observed.…”

“…Although there are numerous studies on calling behaviour in lepidopteran insects ( Lawrence and Bartell, 1972; Fatzinger, 1973; Swier et al, 1977; Kanno, 1979; Turgeon and McNeil, 1982; West et al, 1984; Kou and Chow, 1987; Hagaki and C, 1988; Raina et al, 1991; Kamimura and Tatsuki, 1993, 1994; Del Socorro and Gregg, 1997), effects of mating on calling have not been adequately addressed, and in H. armigera , there is no such report to the present. Furthermore, overwintering cotton bollworms contribute to the build‐up of subsequent generations, and may experience different physiological change, which may affect their calling behaviour.…”

Evidence of a Sex Pheromone and Daily Calling Pattern of Females ofZamagiria dixolophella(Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

“…Some Z. dixolophella females continued calling several min after the light photoperiod was initiated. Prolonged calling in the oldest females may be partly due to isolation of the females (Lawrence & Bartell 1972) and/or attributable to the fact that under laboratory conditions the lights are abruptly turned on and off with no gradual increase or decrease in light as in natural conditions.…”

Electrophysiological investigations of sex pheromone reception and release in Bruchidius atrolineatus

“…But the relation between the latter and the state of development of the ovaries (germaria and oocytes in vitellogenesis in the ovarioles) is not a clear-cut one. Instead of a cause-effect relationship, it is likely that both are under the same neuroendrocrine control (Lawrence & Bartell, 1972;Menon, 1976;Raina et al, 1987).…”