Radar observations of the spring migration into northeastern China of the oriental armyworm moth, Mythimna separata, and other insects

Abstract. 1. The spring migration of the oriental armyworm moth, Mythimna separata (Walker), and other insects into northeastern China was observed by radar at a site in central Jilin province. Samples of the migrants were obtained in a net flown from a kite, and M.separata populations in the surrounding region were monitored with a trap network. 2. The radar regularly detected echoes which were of the type characteristic of large insects, and three out of four large insects in the aerial samples were noctuid moths, including one M.separata. Catches of armyworm moths in the regional trap network peaked during the period of radar observations. 3. Migration occurred at night. It commenced with a take-off flight at dusk and generally continued until dawn, with numbers often being highest around midnight. Most migration took place at altitudes below 500 m, with strong layer concentrations forming at 200–400 m during the middle part of some nights. 4. Migration was approximately downwind. The net movement was overwhelmingly to the northeast because southwesterly winds occurred most frequently and were relatively strong, and because migration was more intense and prolonged on these winds. Orientation tended to be to the left of the downwind direction, and was most often to the north or northeast. 5. Migration into northeastern China was accomplished in a series of night-time movements of 100–300 km rather than by a single non-stop flight. 6. The net movement of insects towards the northeast was sufficient to produce the observed regional infestation of M.separata moths. Oviposition by immigrant armyworm moths in vulnerable crops would have been at a level where economically significant damage would be expected from the resulting larval population. 7. Analogous springtime migrations of noctuids leading to temporary colonizations of habitats at higher latitudes occur in other continents. Such colonizations may be unproductive if, as appears possibly the case for northeastern China, prevailing winds later in the season are generally unfavourable for a return migration towards overwintering areas at lower latitudes.     

Expansion of the winter moth outbreak range: no restrictive effects of competition with the resident autumnal moth

1. Both direct and indirect competition can have profound effects on species abundance and expansion rates, especially for a species trying to strengthen a foothold in new areas, such as the winter moth (Operophtera brumata) currently in northernmost Finland. There, winter moths have overlapping outbreak ranges with autumnal moths (Epirrita autumnata), who also share the same host, the mountain birch (Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii). Competitive interactions are also possible, but so far unstudied, are explanations for the observed 1–3 years phase lag between the population cycles of the two moth species. 2. In two field experiments, we studied host plant‐mediated indirect inter‐specific competition and direct interference/exploitation competition between autumnal and winter moths. The experimental larvae were grown either with the competing species or with the same number of conspecifics until pupation. Inter‐specific competition was judged from differences in pupal mass (reflecting lifespan fecundity), larval development time and larval survival. 3. Larval performance measurements suggested that neither direct nor indirect inter‐specific competition with the autumnal moth reduce the growth rate of winter moth populations. Winter moths even had a higher probability of survival when reared together with autumnal moths. 4. Thus, we conclude that neither direct nor indirect inter‐specific competition is capable of suppressing the spread of the winter moth outbreak range and that both are also an unlikely cause for the phase lag between the phase‐locked population cycles of the two moth species.     

2010年牧区2代草地螟成虫迁飞的虫源分析

草地螟(Loxostege sticticalis L.)是危害我国北方农牧区的重要迁飞性害虫,明确其迁飞、扩散规律以及与境外虫源交流情况,对早期预警和有效防治具有重要意义。2010年6月1日至9月17日,利用垂直监测昆虫雷达的观测资料,结合探照灯和地面灯灯诱虫情、迁飞高峰期雌虫卵巢解剖、区域大气环流形势和迁飞轨迹分析,在内蒙古锡林浩特西郊研究了牧区2代草地螟的迁飞过程,结果表明:2010年牧区2代草地螟迁飞高峰期出现在2010年8月8日至8月21日,高峰日为8月11日,高峰日探照灯诱虫量达9167头,卵巢发育级别以1—2级为主,高峰日雷达回波主要集中在300—400 m。轨迹分析显示:迁飞高峰期8月8日、8月10—12日牧区草地螟迁飞虫源主要来自蒙古共和国东南部及中蒙边境地区,由蒙古气旋西南侧的西北气流输送进入我国内蒙古锡林郭勒盟,再随西南气流迁入呼伦贝尔草原。     

Size of the first spring generation of Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and winter rain in central Australia

Serious infestations of Helicoverpa punctigera are experienced yearly in the eastern cropping regions of Australia. Regression analysis was used to determine whether the size of the first generation in spring (G₁), which is comprised mostly of immigrants from inland Australia, was related to monthly rainfall in inland winter breeding areas. Data from two long series of light-trap catches at Narrabri in New South Wales (NSW) and Turretfield in South Australia (SA) were used in the analyses. The size of G₁ at Narrabri in each year was significantly regressed on the amount of rainfall in western Queensland and NSW in May and June. The size of G₁ at Turretfield each year was significantly regressed on the amount of rain in May, June and July in western Queensland and NSW and also in the desert of central Western Australia. Low r ² values of the regressions suggest that rainfall data for more sites, as well as biological and other physical factors, such as temperature, evaporation, and prevailing wind systems, may need to be included to improve forecasts of the potential magnitude of the infestations in coastal cropping regions.     

Evidence from traditional and new technologies for northward migrations of Australian plague locusts (Chortoicetes terminifera) (Walker) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) to western Queensland

Abstract The development of recent infestations of the Australian plague locust (Chortoicetes terminifera) (Walker) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) has been traced using traditional survey data combined with information from several modern technologies including simulation of windborne transport trajectories, direct observation with entomological radar and satellite imagery. The results indicate that migration from spring generations in the southern and eastern parts of the species range, including agricultural areas, to the summer rainfall areas in arid western Queensland (Qld) has contributed to the development of infestations on several occasions. Migration from swarm populations in New South Wales to western Qld in November and December 1999 contributed to a rapid population increase that, over a sequence of generations, led to the major infestation of agricultural areas in March and April 2000. There is evidence that northward migrations also occurred in 1995, 1997 and 2000. These contributed to the early summer populations in Qld, but did not result in large migrations to the south in autumn. These observations suggest that a pattern of exchange migration across much of the geographical range of the species between regions of winter and summer rainfall characterizes the spatial dynamics of this species. This pattern appears to be adaptive and suggests migration in C. terminifera is sustained by contemporary natural selection.     

Incidence of mesoscale convergence lines as input to spruce budworm control strategies

On occasion Greenbank et al. (1980) in their 1973 to 1976 study on spruce budworm moth dispersal in New Brunswick, Canada, detected intense line concentrations of airborne moths crossing special radar observing sites located about 100 km inland from both the Bay of Fundy and the Northumberland Straits. Line concentrations of insects reflect the presence of atmospheric convergence lines. Data from a surface mesonetwork and wind and temperature soundings up to 2 km collected in New Brunswick from 1976 to 1978 around the period of spruce budworm moth activity has revealed sea breeze fronts to be the meteorological origin for the line concentrations of moths. Analysis has shown sea breeze fronts penetrating 80 to 100 km inland in New Brunswick can be expected once or twice each year during the moth dispersal period. An equation for maximum inland penetration was developed which gave a correlation coefficient of 0.78 between predicted and observed inland penetrations with a standard error of 17.5 km. Predicted sea-breeze frontal penetrations of 100 km or more were considered likely to produce a line concentration of moths observable at the radar sited. Using this criteria the prediction scheme delineated four out of the five nights when line concentrations of moths were observed and only over-predicted on one occasion. Thus meteorological data can be used to predict the appearance of line concentrations of spruce budworm moths and so provide input into population redistribution studies and into the development of control strategies directed at the adult budworm.Presented at Eighth International Congress in Biometeorology, 9–14 September 1979, Shefayim, Israel.     

草地螟2007年越冬代成虫迁飞行为研究与虫源分析

草地螟 Loxostege sticticalis L.是危害我国北方农牧业的一种重要迁飞性害虫,明确草地螟的虫源地及迁飞路线对其早期预警具有重要意义。本文利用垂直监测昆虫雷达的长期观测,迁飞高峰期雌虫卵巢解剖、大区环流分析、各地虫情信息收集和利用Hysplit_4模型进行轨迹分析,研究了2007年越冬代草地螟的空中迁飞行为和东北地区严重暴发的草地螟虫源。结果表明：6月7–9日,雷达观测点诱虫灯内草地螟具有典型迁飞昆虫生理特征;草地螟主要在夜间迁飞,飞行高度集中在300～500 m,400 m是主要飞行高度,迁飞高峰期夜间迁移可持续9 h。东北地区严重发生的草地螟虫源,一部分来自内蒙古乌盟地区,一部分来自蒙古共和国中东部及中俄边境地区。据此推测我国与国外草地螟存在虫源交流。     

Establishment of the biological control agent Hypocosmia pyrochroma for Dolichandra unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) is limited by microclimate

Cat's claw creeper, Dolichandra unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae), a perennial woody vine native to tropical America, is a target for biological control in Australia and South Africa. The cat's claw creeper leaf-tying moth Hypocosmia pyrochroma (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) from tropical South America was released as a biological control agent for cat's claw creeper in Australia from 2007 to 2010. A total of 2,277 adults, 837 pupae and 77,250 larvae were released at 40 sites in Queensland and New South Wales. Releases were made mostly in open fields (85%), and at limited sites (15%) in insect-proof cages erected over naturally occurring cat's claw creeper infestations in the field. Sampling was conducted annually in spring and autumn to monitor the establishment and dispersal of H. pyrochroma. Establishment of H. pyrochroma was first noticed in 2012 at three release sites and since then the number of established sites has increased to 80 in 2020. Establishment was evident on both ‘short-pod’ and ‘long-pod’ forms of cat's claw creeper and was more widespread in sites where releases were made within insect-proof field cages (50%) than in sites with open field releases (9%). The moth was active from late spring to late autumn with peak larval activity in late summer. To date, all field establishments have been in areas predicted by a CLIMEX model as climatically suitable but restricted mostly to riparian environment (93% of establishment), where the moth has continued to spread from 1.5 to 23 km from release sites. In contrast, there is the only limited establishment and spread in non-riparian corridors, highlighting the role of microclimate (riparian) as a limiting factor for establishment and spread. Future efforts will focus on redistribution of the agent to river/creek systems where the moth is currently not present.     

Long distance migration of insects to a subantarctic island

Transoceanic migration of four species of macrolepidoptera to subantarctic Macquarie Island has been detected in 7 out of 33 years during the period 1962–96 and is restricted to spring and autumn. Analyses of synoptic charts during the migration period show that autumn immigrants originated from New Zealand and comprised a single species of noctuid moth,Agrotis ipsilon (Walker). Spring immigrants originated from Australia and comprised two noctuids, Dasypodia selenophora Guenée and Persectania ewingii Westwood and a butterfly, Vanessa kershawi (McCoy). Autumn migrations were associated with depressions in the southern Tasman Sea. Spring migrations were associated with the eastward passage of prefrontal airflows ahead of cold fronts which extended from southern Australia to the west of Macquarie Island. In an analysis of one of these events, winds exceeded 30 ms^?1 at 300 m altitude and could have transported migrants from Tasmania to Macquarie Island overnight in less than 10 h. Flight activity was assisted by the presence of a nocturnal temperature inversion that maintained upper air temperatures above 5 °C. The effect of potential global warming on the migration and colonization of Macquarie Island by insects is discussed.     

Local outbreaks of Operophtera brumata and Operophtera fagata cannot be explained by low vulnerability to pupal predation

• 1 One of the unresolved questions in studies on population dynamics of forest Lepidoptera is why some populations at times reach outbreak densities, whereas others never do. Resolving this question is especially challenging if populations of the same species in different areas or of closely‐related species in the same area are considered.
• 2 The present study focused on three closely‐related geometrid moth species, autumnal Epirrita autumnata, winter Operophtera brumata and northern winter moths Operophtera fagata, in southern Finland. There, winter and northern winter moth populations can reach outbreak densities, whereas autumnal moth densities stay relatively low.
• 3 We tested the hypothesis that a lower vulnerability to pupal predation may explain the observed differences in population dynamics. The results obtained do not support this hypothesis because pupal predation probabilities were not significantly different between the two genera within or without the Operophtera outbreak area or in years with or without a current Operophtera outbreak.
• 4 Overall, pupal predation was even higher in winter and northern winter moths than in autumnal moths. Differences in larval predation and parasitism, as well as in the reproductive capacities of the species, might be other candidates.

     

Notes on the biology of the ant speciesMyrmecia dispar (Clark) (Hymenoptera: Formicidæ)

Myrmecia dispar (Clark) is found in the drier inland areas of New South Wales and southern Queensland in Australia. Its nests, which are situated adjacent to trees, have a distinctive structure of simple architecture. The composition of the colonies varies seasonally with little or no brood production during the colder months. Colony founding probably takes place in March, April, and/or May. Several myrmecophiles are found in nests ofM. dispar, and some of these are present in relatively large numbers.     

Plasma thyroxine concentrations in grazing sheep in several areas of Australia

Plasma thyroxine concentrations were measured by radioimmunoassay in plasma samples from 691 lactating ewes in 26 areas of New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. Sheep sampled in New South Wales and Tasmania had significantly lower plasma thyroxine values (4.0 and 4.3 microgram/100 ml respectively) than those sampled in Queensland and Western Australia (5.4 and 5.3 microgram/100 ml respectively). However, sheep in some districts in southern Queensland also had low plasma thyroxine values. The areas where sheep had low plasma thyroxine values correlate well with areas where goitre has been previously reported, both in man and in domestic animals. This suggests that measurement of plasma thyroxine is probably a valid empirical method of assessing the relative iodine deficiency of grazing sheep and further that sheep grazing substantial areas of New South Wales, Tasmania and to a lesser extent Queensland may have thyroid dysfunction of varying degrees of severity. These findings could have implications for animal production in these areas.     

The synonymy and distribution of the crenaticeps-group of Atractomorpha Saussure, 1862 (Orthoptera, Acridoidea, Pyrgomorphidae)

The general distribution of Atractomorpha australis Rehn, A. similis Bolívar and A. crenaticeps (Blanchard) in Australia and the South Pacific is discussed. Detailed synonymies and lists of known localities are given for each species, together with a distribution map. A. australis is confined to cooler, moister regions of Australia from eastern Victoria to south-western Queensland; A. similis is more tropical, occurring in the southern Moluccas, Timor, southern New Guinea and associated islands to northern and eastern Australia, but it extends, in suitable localities, as far south as central New South Wales, and, in inland areas, even to north-western Victoria and south-eastern South Australia; A. crenaticeps , formerly thought to embrace both the above species, is restricted to the northern Moluccas, western and other parts of New Guinea north of and including the central mountain chains and associated islands to the north and west, and to the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands.     

Numerical and Functional Responses of Forest Bats to a Major Insect Pest in Pine Plantations

Global change is expected to modify the frequency and magnitude of defoliating insect outbreaks in forest ecosystems. Bats are increasingly acknowledged as effective biocontrol agents for pest insect populations. However, a better understanding is required of whether and how bat communities contribute to the resilience of forests to man- and climate-driven biotic disturbances. We studied the responses of forest insectivorous bats to a major pine defoliator, the pine processionary moth pityocampa, which is currently expanding its range in response to global warming. We used pheromone traps and ultrasound bat recorders to estimate the abundance and activity of moths and predatory bats along the edge of infested pine stands. We used synthetic pheromone to evaluate the effects of experimentally increased moth availability on bat foraging activity. We also evaluated the top-down regulation of moth population by estimating T. pityocampa larval colonies abundance on the same edges the following winter. We observed a close spatio-temporal matching between emergent moths and foraging bats, with bat activity significantly increasing with moth abundance. The foraging activity of some bat species was significantly higher near pheromone lures, i.e. in areas of expected increased prey availability. Furthermore moth reproductive success significantly decreased with increasing bat activity during the flight period of adult moths. These findings suggest that bats, at least in condition of low prey density, exhibit numerical and functional responses to a specific and abundant prey, which may ultimately result in an effective top-down regulation of the population of the prey. These observations are consistent with bats being useful agents for the biocontrol of insect pest populations in plantation forests.     

The leaf-tying moth Hypocosmia pyrochroma (Lep., Pyralidae), a host-specific biological control agent for cat's claw creeper Macfadyena unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae) in Australia

Abstract:  Cat's claw creeper, Macfadyena unguis-cati , a major environmental weed in coastal and sub-coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales, Australia is a target for classical biological control. Host specificity of Hypocosmia pyrochroma Jones (Lep., Pyralidae), as a potential biological control agent was evaluated on the basis of no-choice and choice larval feeding and survival, and adult oviposition preference tests, involving 38 plant species in 10 families. In no-choice tests, larval feeding and development occurred only on cat's claw creeper. In choice tests, oviposition and larval development was evident only on cat's claw creeper. The results support the host-specificity tests conducted in South Africa, and suggest that H. pyrochroma is a highly specific biological control agent that does not pose any risk to non-target plants tested in Australia. This agent has been approved for field release by relevant regulatory authorities in Australia.     

Seasonality of ovulation and estrus, and the ram effect in poll dorset ewes

The effects of month on the proportion of Poll Dorset ewes expressing estrus and ovulating and on their ovulation rate when continually exposed to vasectomised rams and the effects of isolating the ewes from rams in winter/early spring were examined during 15 months in New South Wales, Australia. The percentage of ewes ovulating and their ovulation rate varied from 23% and 1.10 in November to an average of 99% and 1.85 in April and June, and the proportion of ewes expressing estrus followed a similar trend. Some ewes (6.8%) ovulated throughout the 15 months, and the average breeding season was 294 (SE = 6.1) days. Isolating ewes from rams in late winter/early spring significantly decreased the proportion of ewes ovulating from September to November, increased the proportion in December, but did not significantly alter ovulation rate. The variability in reproductive measures during spring offers scope for selection; with the ram effect, improvements in spring joining results from Dorset ewes are possible.     

Some observations on the breeding, age structure, dispersion and habitat of populations of Macropus robustus and Macropus antilopinus (Marsupialia)

Differences in breeding, population structure, dispersion and habitat are described between various species and subspecies of wallaroo (Macropus robustus robustus; M. r. cervinus; M. r. alligatoris; M. r. erubescens; Macropus antilopinus; Macropus bernardus).
Pouch young of Macropus robustus erubescens in western New South Wales were born throughout the year, while in both M. r. alligatoris and M. antilopinus then Northern Territory, most pouch young found were born during March and April.
In the populations of wallaroos in western New South Wales and the Northern Territory where there had been no systematic shooting of wallaroos for many years, 11|X% of the animals were immature. In the New England district of New South Wales where regular shooting occurs, 46|X% of the animals were immature.
The habitat of M. r. alligatoris of the Northern Territory was very similar to that of M. erubescens in inland Australia, amongst rocky hills and gullies. M. antilopinus , which is sympatric with M. r. alligatoris in the Northern Territory, also occurred in the rocky hills, but it was also found in open savannah woodland in flat and gently undulating country.
M. r. erubescens and M. r. alligatoris were almost always seen alone or in pairs, while M. antilopinus often formed larger groups.     

Artificial light at night causes diapause inhibition and sex‐specific life history changes in a moth

Rapidly increasing levels of light pollution subject nocturnal organisms to major alterations of their habitat, the ecological consequences of which are largely unknown. Moths are well‐known to be attracted to light at night, but effects of light on other aspects of moth ecology, such as larval development and life‐history, remain unknown. Such effects may have important consequences for fitness and thus for moth population sizes. To study the effects of artificial night lighting on development and life‐history of moths, we experimentally subjected Mamestra brassicae (Noctuidae) caterpillars to low intensity green, white, red or no artificial light at night and determined their growth rate, maximum caterpillar mass, age at pupation, pupal mass and pupation duration. We found sex‐specific effects of artificial light on caterpillar life‐history, with male caterpillars subjected to green and white light reaching a lower maximum mass, pupating earlier and obtaining a lower pupal mass than male caterpillars under red light or in darkness. These effects can have major implications for fitness, but were absent in female caterpillars. Moreover, by the time that the first adult moth from the dark control treatment emerged from its pupa (after 110 days), about 85% of the moths that were under green light and 83% of the moths that were under white light had already emerged. These differences in pupation duration occurred in both sexes and were highly significant, and likely result from diapause inhibition by artificial night lighting. We conclude that low levels of nocturnal illumination can disrupt life‐histories in moths and inhibit the initiation of pupal diapause. This may result in reduced fitness and increased mortality. The application of red light, instead of white or green light, might be an appropriate measure to mitigate negative artificial light effects on moth life history.     

Forecasting Helicoverpa populations in Australia： A comparison of regression based models and a bioclimatic based modelling approach

Abstract Long-term forecasts of pest pressure are central to the effective management of many agricultural insect pests. In the eastern cropping regions of Australia, serious infestations of Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren) and H. armigera (Hübner)(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are experienced annually. Regression analyses of a long series of light-trap catches of adult moths were used to describe the seasonal dynamics of both species. The size of the spring generation in eastern cropping zones could be related to rainfall in putative source areas in inland Australia. Subsequent generations could be related to the abundance of various crops in agricultural areas, rainfall and the magnitude of the spring population peak. As rainfall figured prominently as a predictor variable, and can itself be predicted using the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), trap catches were also related to this variable. The geographic distribution of each species was modelled in relation to climate and CLIMEX was used to predict temporal variation in abundance at given putative source sites in inland Australia using historical meteorological data. These predictions were then correlated with subsequent pest abundance data in a major cropping region. The regression-based and bioclimatic-based approaches to predicting pest abundance are compared and their utility in predicting and interpreting pest dynamics are discussed.     

No regulatory role for adult predation in cyclic population dynamics of the autumnal moth,Epirrita autumnata

1. Multiannual population cycles of geometrid moths are thought to be driven by trophic‐level interactions involving a delayed density‐dependent component. Predation on adult moths has been a little‐studied mechanism of this phenomenon. 2. Using 29 daytime and 61 night‐time predation trials in the field, we exposed living autumnal moth (Epirrita autumnata Borkhausen, Lepidoptera: Geometridae) females to their natural predators during each autumn throughout the 10‐year population cycle. 3. In our northern study location (70°N), insectivorous passerines had already migrated, and harvestman Mitopus morio Fabricius (Opiliones: Phalangiidae) was found to be the main predator of the adult moths. The predation mortality occurred mainly at night and was positively correlated with the minimum temperature measured during the predation trial. 4. Despite high annual variability in the degree of adult predation, both direct and delayed density‐dependent effects were weak and indicate that predation on adult moths in the autumn does not have any regulatory role in cyclic population dynamics of the autumnal moth in northern Fennoscandia.