Field infestation, life history and demographic parameters of the fruit fly Bactrocera invadens (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Africa

Field infestation rates of an invasive fruit fly species, Bactrocera invadens Drew Tsuruta & White on mango was determined at different localities in Kenya. At most of the locations and especially at low elevations, B. invadens frequently shared the same fruit with the indigenous fruit fly species Ceratitis cosyra (Walker) but often occurred at higher numbers than C. cosyra. The level of infestation varied with location ranging from 3.0 to 97.2 flies per kg of fruit. There was a significant inverse relationship between numbers of flies per kg of fruit and elevation at which fruit was collected, suggesting that B. invadens is a predominantly lowland pest. On an artificial diet, development of B. invadens immatures lasted 25 days; egg incubation required 1.2 days, larval development 11.1 days and puparia-adult development 12.4 days. About 55% of eggs developed to the adult stage. Life expectancy at pupal eclosion was 75.1 days in females and 86.4 days in males. Average net fecundity and net fertility were 794.6 and 608.1 eggs, respectively, while average daily oviposition was 18.2 eggs. Daily population increase was 11% and mean generation time was 31 days. Results are discussed in relation to the biology and ecology of the insect and in the development of mass rearing and control measures for B. invadens.     

Bactrocera invadens (Diptera: Tephritidae), a new invasive fruit fly pest for the Afrotropical region: host plant range and distribution in West and Central Africa

In 2003, the invasive fruit fly Bactrocera invadens Drew, Tsuruta & White (Diptera: Tephritidae) (Drew et al. 2005), of possible Sri Lankan origin, has been detected in the East and about 1 yr later in West Africa. In regular surveys in Benin and Cameroon covering 4 yr, samples from 117 plant species across 43 families have been obtained. Incubation of field-collected fruits demonstrate that in West and Central Africa (WCA) B. invadens is highly polyphagous, infesting wild and cultivated fruits of at least 46 species from 23 plant families with guava (Psidium spp.), mango (Mangifera spp.), and citrus (spp.), and the wild hosts tropical almond (Terminalia catappa L.), African wild mango (Irvingia gabonensis (Aubry-Lecomte) Baill.), and sheanut (Vitellaria paradoxa C.F.Gaertn.) showing the highest infestation index. B. invadens occurs in 22 countries of WCA with new records for Angola, Central African Republic, the Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Sierra Leone. Overall, the pest has spread across a North-South distance of ?5,000 km representing a contiguous area of >8.3 million km(2) within WCA. B. invadens has adapted to a wide range of ecological and climatic conditions extending from low land rainforest to dry savanna. Because of its highly destructive and invasive potential, B. invadens poses a serious threat to horticulture in Africa if left uncontrolled. Moreover, the presence of this quarantine pest causes considerable restrictions on international trade of affected crops.     

Seasonality and host utilization of the invasive fruit fly, Bactrocera invadens (Dipt., Tephritidae) in central Tanzania

Abstract:  The temporal occurrence of the invasive and economically important pest fruit fly, Bactrocera invadens was studied in three agro-ecological areas of Morogoro Region, central Tanzania, during 2004–2005. Weekly and monthly trappings were carried out with methyl eugenol, protein bait and synthetic food attractant. Bactrocera invadens was permanently present at low and mid-altitudes (380–520 m a.s.l.) with peak periods coinciding with the fruiting season of mango ( Mangifera indica ) and guava ( Psidium guajava ). At high altitude (1650 m a.s.l.) its incidence was only temporal and apparently the result of dispersal from lower altitudes after the mango fruiting season. Rearing results showed mango, loquat ( Eriobotrya japonica ), guava and grapefruit ( Citrus  ×  paradisi ) to be the favoured commercial host fruits. Other Citrus species, cucurbits, papaya ( Carica papaya ) and avocado ( Persea americana ) were less favoured.     

Influence of temperature on egg hatching, growth and survival of larvae of Heterobranchus longifilis Val. 1840 (Teleostei: Clariidae)

Eggs of Heterobranchus longifilis Val. 1840 were artificially fertilized and incubated at a range of temperatures (20, 23, 25, 27, 29 and 32°C). The time from fertilization to hatching decreased with increasing temperature. No eggs survived to hatch at 20 and 32°C incubation temperatures, while at 23 and 29°C hatching was only minimal. Optimum hatching was obtained at 25 and 27°C, which corresponds to the ambient temperature range during the breeding season. Larvae of H. longifilis were reared for 11 days post-hatching at 20, 25, 27, 29 and 32°C. Growth increased with temperature (P < 0.05), whereas survival depicted an inverse relationship. Growth was minimal at 20°C and larvae rarely survived to the end of the experiment. Optimum temperature for the primary nursing of H. longifilis larvae was within the 25–27°C temperature range.     

中国芒果输出蒸热杀虫处理研究

中国芒果输出蒸热杀虫处理研究,包括海南产金煌、爱文、象牙和台农1号4个品种芒果鲜果内橘小实蝇Bactrocera dorsalis(Hendel)的卵和不同龄期幼虫的耐热力试验;芒果小规模、大规模蒸热杀虫处理试验;以及蒸热处理对芒果品质的影响等。结果显示,当蒸热室温度逐步达到50℃,芒果果心温度上升至47℃(使用饱和热蒸汽)并保持这一温度时,在不同处理时间(0、5、10、15、20min)条件下,不同品种芒果内橘小实蝇的耐热力由强至弱的发育期依次为2龄幼虫→3龄幼虫→1龄幼虫→卵,其中以金煌芒果(海南产芒果品种中果体最大,平均重量856g)内2龄幼虫的耐热力最强。完全杀灭海南产金煌芒果内橘小实蝇的卵和幼虫的蒸热条件是果心温度保持在47℃和使用饱和热蒸汽处理20min。金煌芒果的小规模、大规模蒸热杀虫处理试验的结果进一步确认和验证,在上述的蒸热处理条件下,总计数量分别为14000头和35000头最具耐热力的供试橘小实蝇2龄幼虫全部被杀灭(死亡率100%),完全可确保其检疫安全。同时,经蒸热杀虫处理后第7d和第12d的金煌芒果鲜果与对照鲜果品质(包括色泽,以及还原糖、蔗糖、总糖、总酸、维生素C和可溶性固形物的含量)的比较测定数据表明,蒸热温度47℃和使用饱和热蒸汽处理20min,除维生素C的含量有微量损失外,基本可保持鲜果的品质不变。     

Temperature-dependent post-diapause development and prediction of spring emergence of the pine needle gall midge (Dipt., Cecidomyiidae)

Abstract:  We determined the influence of temperature on post-diapause development of overwintered Thecodiplosis japonensis Uchida et Inouye (Dipt., Cecidomyiidae) under various treatments (12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30°C) in an effort to predict its spring emergence. Survival and developmental period for the overwintered larvae and pupae were significantly influenced by temperature. Linear and nonlinear regression models quantitatively described temperature-dependent development and survival of T. japonensis . The survival models exhibited right-skewed bell shape patterns for all stages, indicating a more detrimental impact on survival at high temperatures. Theoretical optimum temperatures with highest survival were 22.3, 24.0 and 24.0°C for the overwintered larvae, pupae and total post-diapause development (the larvae to adults) respectively. Pupal mortality was higher at all temperatures than larval mortality and the suitable range of temperature for pupae was narrower than that of larvae. The nonlinear Briere model estimated that optimum temperatures with the fastest development were 29.1°C for larvae, 27.6°C for pupae and 27.0°C for larvae to adults. In a linear model, the lower threshold temperatures were 5.1, 7.1 and 5.9°C for larvae, pupae, and larvae to adults respectively. A predictive degree-day model was developed using trap catches of T. japonensis adult emergence during 1991–1995. The model accounted for 84.6% of year-to-year variation in adult emergence and predicted accurately the median emergence time in 1996.     

Effects of temperature and delayed initial feeding on the survival and growth of Japanese flounder larvae

The effects of the timing of initial feeding (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 days after yolk exhaustion) and temperature (15, 18 and 21° C) on the point‐of‐no‐return (PNR), survival and growth of laboratory‐reared Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus larvae were studied under controlled conditions. The larvae reached PNR on 7·7, 5·2 and 4·2 days‐post‐hatching (dph) at 15, 18 and 21° C, respectively. At each temperature, larval growth did not differ significantly among the delayed initial feedings 1 day before PNR but decreased significantly in larvae first fed after that. In the treatments where initial feeding was equally delayed, larvae grew significantly faster at 18 and 21° C than at 15° C. The larvae survived apparently better at 15 and 18° C than at 21° C when initial feeding was equally delayed. At each temperature, survival of the larvae first fed before PNR did not differ noticeably, while delayed initial feeding after that apparently reduced their survival. These results indicated that there existed a negatively temperature‐dependent PNR in the Japanese flounder larvae. Survival and growth of the larvae strongly depended on temperature as well as the timing of initial feeding. High temperature accelerated the yolk exhaustion and growth of the larvae and thus reduced their starvation tolerance and survival. To avoid potential starvation mortality and obtain good growth, the Japanese flounder larvae must establish successful initial feeding within 2 days after yolk exhaustion at 15° C and within 1 day at both 18 and 21° C.     

Cold shock and cold tolerance in larvae and pupae of the blow fly, Lucilia sericata

Abstract.  Understanding the effects of low winter temperatures on mortality is essential in the development of a full understanding of the long-term population dynamics of any insect. The present study aims to examine the survival of pupae and larvae of the blow fly, Lucilia sericata , at overwintering temperatures. Groups of pupae and diapausing and nondiapausing third-stage larvae of L. sericata are maintained in cooled incubators at either 3 °C and 6 °C. Groups are removed from the incubators at 3–4-day intervals and transferred either to−8 °C or to 25 °C. After 1 h in the freezer, the larvae and pupae exposed to this cold-shock are also transferred to 25 °C. Larvae and pupae are then allowed to continue development and the number of adults emerging from each group is counted. The results demonstrate that survival decreases linearly with the period of exposure at both 3 °C and 6 °C. Mortality is higher at 3 °C than at 6 °C and, in groups that receive the cold shock, cold-shock reduces emergence by over 50%. However, there is no consistent tendency for diapausing larvae to survive prolonged cold or cold shock better than other life-cycle stages. The results suggest that the facultative development of an overwintering diapause stage in L. sericata does not appear to be an adaptation to enhance cold tolerance or resistance to cold shock. It is concluded that the survival of overwintering L. sericata is likely to be relatively less affected by low temperatures than it is by, for example, biotic factors, particularly given the buffered soil environment and short time-scales over which periods of cold act.     

Mortality in Three African Tephritid Fruit Fly Puparia and Adults Caused by the Entomopathogenic Fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana

The pathogenicity of 13 isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae and two isolates of Beauveria bassiana to Ceratitis capitata and Ceratitis var. rosa fasciventris exposed as late third instar larvae in sand was evaluated in the laboratory. All isolates caused a significant reduction in adult emergence and a corresponding large mortality on puparia of both species. All isolates also induced large deferred mortality in emerging adults following treatment as late third instar larvae. On C. capitata , seven isolates ( M. anisopliae ICIPE 18, 20, 32, 60 and 69 and B. bassiana ICIPE 44 and 82) caused significantly higher mortality on puparia than other isolates. With the exception of ICIPE 32, the other four isolates of M. anisopliae above were the most pathogenic against C. r. fasciventris . Dose-response study carried out with these isolates of M. anisopliae on the two species of flies above plus another species, Ceratitis cosyra showed that the dose-mortality regression lines of ICIPE 18 and 20 were steeper with lower LC 50 values when compared with ICIPE 60 and 69 on the three species. When these two isolates were evaluated with regard to their pathogenicity to different pupal age, adult emergence was found to increase with increasing pupal age with a corresponding decrease in mortality in puparia and emerging adults in the three species of fruit flies. M. anisopliae ICIPE 18 and 20 were equally pathogenic to all pupal ages tested in C. capitata and C. cosyra but ICIPE 18 was more pathogenic to older puparia of C. r. fasciventris than ICIPE 20. Our results suggest that soil inoculation with M. anisopliae under mango trees might form an important component of integrated pest management strategies in areas where these three species of fruit fly coexist.     

Effect of soil temperature and moisture on survival and infectivity of Metarhizium anisopliae to four tephritid fruit fly puparia

The infectivity of 4 isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae to puparia of Ceratitis capitata treated as late third-instar larvae in unsterilized soil was investigated in the laboratory under controlled temperature and moisture. At 20-30 degrees C, mortality in puparia was highest at water potential of -0.1 and -0.01 mega Pascal (MPa) and lowest at water potential of -0.0055 and -0.0035 MPa in all the isolates. In wetter soil however, isolates ICIPE 20 and 60 caused significantly higher mortality than ICIPE 18 and 69. The survival of conidia in drier soil (-0.1 MPa) was not adversely affected at all temperatures. However, in wet soil (-0.0035 MPa) there was drastic reduction in colony counts in ICIPE 18 and 69 at 25 and 30 degrees C but conidial density in ICIPE 20 and 60 remained at the initial level at 14 days after inoculation at all temperatures. When ICIPE 20 was evaluated against three other fruit fly species (Ceratitis cosyra, Ceratitis rosa, and Ceratitis fasciventris), significant reduction in adult emergence and higher pupal mortality occurred in C. cosyra and C. fasciventris than in C. rosa at a combination of 15 and 20 degrees C and -0.1 and -0.0035 MPa. However, at higher temperature and the same moisture level, the isolates were equally pathogenic across the 3 species. It is probable that in addition to pathogen cycling and multiplication from dead infected insects in the soil, a balance between microbial degradation and replenishment of inoculum of virulent isolates occur through fluctuations in, and intricate interactions between temperature and moisture levels. This study is indicative of the potential of using isolate ICIPE 20 for soil inoculation against pupariating third-instar larva of fruit flies, thus providing a novel alternative to chemical soil application.     

Bimodal life cycle of the burying beetle Nicrophorus quadripunctatus in relation to its summer reproductive diapause

Abstract 1. Under natural conditions in Kyoto, Japan, the reproductive activities of Nicrophorus quadripunctatus Kraatz (Coleoptera: Silphidae) decreased in summer and the species showed a bimodal life cycle.
2. In the laboratory, most adult pairs raised at 20 °C under a LD 12:12 h regime reproduced when provided with a piece of chicken. In adults raised at 20 °C under a LD 16:8 h regime, however, both reproductive behaviour and ovarian development were reduced. It is concluded that these adults entered a reproductive summer diapause.
3. High temperature (25 °C) also suppressed the reproductive behaviour even under a favourable LD 12:12 h regime. In the field, therefore, adults reduce their reproductive activity in summer because of diapause induced by long-day photoperiods and direct inhibition of reproduction by high temperatures.
4. When the temperature was changed from 20 °C to 25 °C immediately after hatching of larvae, they reached the wandering stage in 95% of adult pairs. When the temperature was changed from 20 °C to 25 °C immediately after oviposition, however, no larvae hatched in 85% of pairs. Egg mortality was significantly higher at 25 °C than at 20 and 22.5 °C; no eggs hatched at 27.5 °C. The physiological mechanisms for reducing reproduction probably prevent the beetles from inefficient oviposition in summer.     

Implications of Chaoborus pupation and ecdysis in cold water

1. Cold water acted differently to delay and lengthen the pupation period for the larvae of two species of the zooplankton predator Chaoborus (Diptera: Chaoboridae). During Chaoborus pupation, the zooplankton community is released from predation, while the dark-coloured Chaoborus pupae are more susceptible to their own predators.
2. Fourth instar larvae of Chaoborus americanus and C. trivittatus , collected from an oligotrophic lake, were reared individually at 5 °C in the dark. Chaoborus americanus was also reared at 9 and 12 °C under spring photoperiod conditions (L : D, 16 : 8 h). Individuals were observed through pupation to emergence (ecdysis) or death.
3.  Chaoborus americanus pupated at 5, 9 and 12 °C with substantial emergence only at 12 °C. In comparison, C. trivittatus emerged at 5 °C. Light was not a necessary cue for pupation and ecdysis, contrary to previous reports. Cold water delayed the onset and lengthened and increased the variability of the duration of pupation.
4. In Shirley Lake, C. americanus pupated in late June–early July while C. trivittatus pupated first in April and again in June–July.
5.  Chaoborus americanus pupae needed a temperature cue to complete ecdysis. The ecdysis temperature threshold helps to explain the difference in pupation timing, and the geographical distribution, of C. americanus and its relatively inflexible life history contrasted with C. trivittatus . Delayed predator pupation in years with low spring temperature can affect the community dynamics of the prey.     

Gregarious development of the solitary endo-parasitoid, Microplitis rufiventris in its habitual host, Spodoptera littoralis

Abstract:  Earlier research has shown that the koinobiont parasitoid, Microplitis rufiventris , attacks and can develop on early instars of Spodoptera littoralis larvae with preference to third instars. However, the present study was carried out using the newly moulted sixth instar larvae at two different temperatures (20 ± 1 and 27 ± 1°C) to study the developmental interaction between the parasitoid and the last instar host larvae. Parasitoid eggs laid in singly parasitized host larvae invariably died. As the number of parasitoid eggs/host larvae increased, the proportion of eggs that hatched and number of viable parasitoid larvae successfully reached to their final instar increased. The effect of superparasitization seems to be dose (no. of eggs + parasitoid factors)-temperature-dependent. The results demonstrate a kind of 'Allee effect' suggesting that superparasitized last instar S. littoralis larvae provide a better host environment than singly parasitized hosts for the parasitoid, M. rufiventris . This may be due to host's hormone and/or low dose of factors injected with parasitoid eggs. The supernumerary individuals of wasp larvae developed normally to the point of emergence but most did not successfully emerge from the host. The improvement of both hatchability and post-embryonic development of parasitoid wasp was significantly (P < 0.01) greater at 20°C than at 27°C. The results of the present study are useful in understanding the evolution of life-history strategies and host range in parasitic hymenoptera.     

Physiological causes of cotton fruit abscission under conditions of high temperature and enhanced ultraviolet-B radiation

An experiment was conducted in sunlit controlled environment growth chambers to determine the physiological mechanisms of fruit abscission of cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. NuCOTN 33B) grown in high temperature and enhanced ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation. Six treatments included two levels of optimum (30/22°C) and high (36/28°C) day/night temperatures and three levels of biologically effective UV-B radiation (0, 7, and 14 kJ m⁻² per day). Both the temperature and UV-B treatments were imposed from seedling emergence through 79 days after emergence (DAE). High temperature did not negatively affect either leaf net photosynthetic rates (Pn) or abscission of cotton squares (floral buds with bracts) but significantly decreased boll retention. Plants exposed to 7 kJ UV-B radiation retained 56% less bolls than the 0 kJ UV-B control plants at 79 DAE, despite no significant differences in leaf Pn measured at squaring and flowering. At 53 DAE, leaf Pn of plants grown in high UV-B radiation (14 kJ m⁻² per day) decreased by 11%, whereas total non-structural carbohydrate (TNC) concentrations in the leaves, floral buds, and young bolls decreased by 34, 32, and 20%, respectively, compared with the control plants. The high UV-B radiation significantly increased square abscission. Square abscission was not related to leaf TNC concentration but closely correlated with TNC in floral buds ( r  = −0.68, P  < 0.001). Young boll abscission was highly correlated with TNC concentrations in both the leaves ( r  = −0.40, P  < 0.01) and the bolls ( r  = −0.80, P  < 0.001). Our results indicate that non-structural carbohydrate limitation in reproductive parts was a major factor associated with fruit abscission of cotton grown under high temperature and enhanced UV-B radiation conditions.     

The effect of temperature on the size and population density of dinoflagellates in larvae of the reef coral Porites astreoides

Abstract. Pre-settlement events play an important role in determining larval success in marine invertebrates with bentho-pelagic life histories, yet the consequences of these events typically are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine the pre-settlement impacts of different seawater temperatures on the size and population density of dinoflagellate symbionts in brooded larvae of the Caribbean coral Porites astreoides. Larvae were collected from P. astreoides at 14–20 m depth on Conch Reef (Florida) in June 2002, and incubated for 24 h at 15 temperatures spanning the range 25.1°–30.0°C in mean increments of 0.4±0.1°C (±SD). The most striking feature of the larval responses was the magnitude of change in both parameters across this 5°C temperature range within 24 h. In general, larvae were largest and had the highest population densities of Symbiodinium sp. between 26.4°–27.7°C, and were smallest and had the lowest population densities at 25.8°C and 28.8°C. Larval size and symbiont population density were elevated slightly (relative to the minimal values) at the temperature extremes of 25.1°C and 30°C. These data demonstrate that coral larvae are highly sensitive to seawater temperature during their pelagic phase, and respond through changes in size and the population densities of Symbiodinium sp. to ecologically relevant temperature signals within 24 h. The extent to which these changes are biologically meaningful will depend on the duration and frequency of exposure of coral larvae to spatio-temporal variability in seawater temperature, and whether the responses have cascading effects on larval success and their entry to the post-settlement and recruitment phase.     

Oxygen requirements of larvae of the smallmouth bass, Micropterus dolomieui Lacépède

Smallmouth bass larvae became highly sensitive to oxygen deficiency on the second day after hatching and continued so to the 10th day. During this period they could not survive exposure to 1 mg O₂ l^–1 for 3 h at 20° C, and many were killed within 1 h. At 2 mg O₂ l^–1 half the larvae survived 3 h at 20° C; at 2.5 mg l^–1 most survived, and at 3.5 mg l^–1 all survived. Resistance to oxygen deficiency was regained by the 11th day, the majority of the larvae withstanding a 3-h exposure at 1 mg O₂ l^–1. At 25° C the effects of low oxygen concentration were intensified. At 3 and 4 mg O₂ l^–1 and 20° C the normally quiescent larvae became very active, even swimming to the surface 5 or 6 cm above the substrate. Increasing the temperature increased this response. Smallmouth larvae were more sensitive than large-mouth bass larvae to oxygen deficiency.     

Effects of temperature on the development and survival of an endangered butterfly, Shijimiaeoides divinus barine (Leech) (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae)

The effects of temperature on the development and survival of Shijimiaeoides divinus barine were examined in the laboratory in 2008. The eggs and larvae were reared at temperatures of 15, 17.5, 20, 25, 30 and 35°C with a long-day photoperiod of 16 h light : 8 h dark (16L : 8D). The highest hatchability of eggs was 88.0% at 20°C, but hatchability at high temperatures of 30 and 35°C was 30 and 0%, respectively. The lowest and highest survival rates from the first to third instar were 18.8% at 15°C and 76.9% at 20°C. Few deaths were observed after the fourth instar. The shortest developmental periods of the eggs and larvae were 4.0 and 15.8 days at 30°C, and the durations of the egg and larval stages increased significantly as the temperature decreased. The developmental zero and thermal constants were 9.6°C and 82.6 degree–days for the egg stage, and 10.7°C and 306.8 degree–days for the larval stage. The developmental period of the natural population of S. divinus barine in Azumino City, Nagano Prefecture was calculated using the developmental zero, thermal constants and Azumino City temperature data.     

Observations on the intensity of diapause and cold tolerance in larvae from twelve populations and two reciprocal crosses of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella

ABSTRACT. The duration of diapause in larvae of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) was assessed at 20°C in LD 11:13. Mean times from hatch to pupation for diapausing larvae from different populations ranged from 88 to 236 days. Most non-diapausing larvae pupated within 70 days at this temperature. Transferring diapausing larvae to 25°C and LD 9:15, or to 20°C and LD 15:9, 70 days after hatch reduced the subsequent mean time to pupation by 18–82% and 9–63% respectively. Only two population samples terminated diapause faster under LD 15:9 at 20°C than under LD 9:15 at 25°C. The mortality of diapausing larvae caused by 6- or 10-week exposures at 5, 7.5 or 10°C was generally less than 25%. Hybrids produced from a reciprocal cross between a temperate and a tropical African stock survived well. For other stocks there was some correlation between survival and diapause intensity. The low temperature regime which resulted in the greatest shortening of pupation time after return to the conditions used to induce diapause, did not always coincide with the temperature permitting the best survival. Results, however, indicate that some individuals of all stocks but one from the tropics are likely to survive in the U.K.     

Survival at low temperature of larvae of the pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa from an area of range expansion

1 Larvae of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) develop throughout the winter, although their feeding activity and survival can be impaired by adverse climatic factors. The present study investigated the survival at low temperature of larvae originating from a population with range expansion in an alpine valley in Northern Italy.
2 The supercooling point of individually analysed larvae averaged at −7 °C. This value insufficiently described the cold hardiness of the larvae; 39% of the tested larvae were alive when returned to room temperature immediately after freezing. When larval colonies inside their nest were exposed to −17 °C for 1 h after gradual temperature decrease, survival was 70.4%.
3 Rearing of larvae in the laboratory at different day/night temperatures indicated an effect of cumulative chill injury on larvae. A logistic regression explained the relationship between negative thermal sum (h°C below 0 °C) received in the laboratory experiment and larval survival. A similar relationship was demonstrated between negative thermal sum and survival of larval colonies in the field.
4 In the laboratory experiment, some tested larvae were able to survive for up to 8 weeks without feeding depending on rearing temperature. As expected, feeding occurred only when larvae were reared at temperatures of 9 °C day/0 °C night.
5 We classify the larvae of T. pityocampa as being moderate freezing tolerant. The winter behaviour allows this species to track climate warming by a rapid expansion into those areas that become compatible with the insect's development.     

The relative importance of temperature and diet to larval development and adult size of the winter stonefly, Soyedina carolinensis (Piecoptera: Nemouridae)

SUMMARY. 1. Soyedina carolinensis Claassen, a leaf shredding stonefly, was reared in a series of three laboratory experiments from early instar to adult on different species of deciduous leaves and at various constant and fluctuating temperature regimes.
2. Experiment 1, which involved rearing larvae on fourteen different leaf diets at ambient stream temperatures, showed that diet significantly affected larval growth and adult size but did not affect overall developmental time.
3. Experiment 2, which involved rearing larvae on five different leaf diets at each of three fluctuating temperature regimes (viz ambient White Clay Creek (WCC), ambient WCC+3°C, and ambient WCC+6°C), showed that: (i) adding 6°C to the normal temperature regime of WCC was lethal to 99% of the larvae regardless of diet; and (ii) warming WCC by 3°C did not affect developmental time but did significantly reduce adult size relative to adults reared at WCC temperatures on certain diets.
4. Experiment 3, which involved rearing larvae on five different leaf diets at each of five constant temperatures (viz 5, 10, 15, 20, 25°C), showed that: (i) temperature significantly affected the mortality, growth, and development time of larvae whereas diet only affected larval growth and mortality; (ii) temperatures at or near 10°C yielded maximum larval growth and survival for most diets; (iii) at 5°C, larval mortality was high and growth was low resulting in a few small adults for most diets; (iv) larval mortality was at or near 100% at 15°C regardless of diet; and (v) no larvae survived at 20 and 25°C.