松毛虫赤眼蜂滞育诱导及解除条件研究

【目的】以柞蚕Antheraea pernyi卵为繁殖寄主,对松毛虫赤眼蜂Trichogramma dendrolim滞育诱导及解除条件进行研究,以解决赤眼蜂工厂化生产和大面积应用中面临的的中、长期储存问题。【方法】通过观测不同发育阶段(寄生柞蚕卵在26℃培养40、96和144 h)、滞育诱导温度(10、13和16℃)和诱导时间对松毛虫赤眼蜂滞育的影响,确定松毛虫赤眼蜂滞育诱导条件;通过观测滞育诱导温度和滞育后的贮藏温度对滞育解除的影响,确定松毛虫赤眼蜂滞育解除条件。【结果】在松毛虫赤眼蜂的不同发育阶段对其进行持续的低温刺激均能使其导入滞育,但以小幼阶段(26℃培养40 h)开始效果最佳,寄生卵在26℃培养40 h后,转入10℃和13℃下连续诱导31 d,滞育率可达100%和99.12%。滞育诱导温度和滞育后的贮藏温度对松毛虫赤眼蜂解除滞育所需时间和解除滞育后的羽化出蜂率有较大影响,10℃诱导滞育后置于1℃冷藏的赤眼蜂解除滞育所需时间最短,解除滞育后的羽化出蜂率和单卵出蜂数更高,更耐储存。此条件下冷藏约30 d开始打破滞育,在正常发育下温度下羽化出蜂,60 d羽化出蜂率达到95.24%,冷藏4个月后羽化出蜂率仍在60%以上,单卵出蜂数高于50头。【结论】松毛虫赤眼蜂最佳滞育诱导条件为26℃培养40 h后,转入10℃连续低温诱导31 d;最佳滞育解除条件为1℃低温储存,但储存期不能超过4个月。     

稻螟赤眼蜂诱导滞育条件的优化

应用滞育技术是延长赤眼蜂货架期的可行性措施之一。为实现工厂化生产稻螟赤眼蜂滞育蜂,本研究以在3种光周期(16 L∶8 D、12 L∶12 D和8 L∶16 D)下繁育的稻螟赤眼蜂种群为材料,考察了诱导始期(寄生后发育12 h、24 h、36 h、48 h、60 h和72 h)、诱导温度(10℃和13℃)和诱导历期(14 d、21 d、28 d和35 d)对稻螟赤眼蜂滞育的影响。研究结果表明短光照下繁育的种群更容易进入滞育状态;寄生后发育24 h和12 h为最敏感的诱导始期,随着诱导始期虫龄的增长,滞育效果也随之下降;诱导温度对滞育也有显著影响,其中8 L∶16 D的种群在13℃下诱导的滞育率要显著高于10℃,但其他两个种群在10℃下诱导的滞育率要显著高于13℃;诱导历期的增加可以显著提高稻螟赤眼蜂的滞育率。供试稻螟赤眼蜂种群的较适宜滞育条件为8 L∶16 D下繁育的赤眼蜂种群寄生后发育12 h于13℃下诱导滞育28 d或35 d,以及寄生后发育24 h于10℃或13℃下诱导滞育35 d,滞育率可超过95%。     

短期高温对感染Wolbachia的松毛虫赤眼蜂发育和繁殖的影响

感染了沃尔巴克氏体Wolbachia的松毛虫赤眼蜂Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura营孤雌产雌生殖方式,但高温可能影响这一特性。为了模拟该赤眼蜂在田间遇到短期高温后的受影响情况,研究了柞蚕卵繁殖的Wolbachia感染了Wolbachia的松毛虫赤眼蜂孤雌产雌品系,于蛹中期和蛹后期经历6h32,35,38℃高温单次冲击处理,对当代羽化出蜂率、单卵出蜂数、单卵雌蜂率、寿命4个指标和处理子代羽化出蜂率、有效繁殖个体、单卵出蜂数、单卵雌蜂率4个指标的影响。结果表明,短期高温刺激会对孤雌产雌的松毛虫赤眼蜂产生不利影响,尤其是38℃高温不利影响明显,主要表现在羽化出蜂率和单卵出蜂数两指标明显降低;高温冲击对子代蜂各指标影响不明显。2代赤眼蜂均未有雄峰出现,表明短期高温冲击不能对Wolbachia调控其宿主生殖方式的作用产生影响。     

Effects of constant and changing temperature conditions on diapause induction in Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The effects of photoperiod and temperature on the induction and termination of facultative pupal diapause in Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) were investigated under laboratory conditions. Exposing H. armigera larvae to both constant and fluctuating temperature regimes with a mean of 25°C and 20°C resulted in a type-III photoperiodic response curve of a short-long day insect. The long-day critical daylengths for diapause induction were ten hours and 12 hours at the constant temperatures of 25°C and 20°C, respectively. Higher incidences of diapause and higher values both for the longer and the shorter critical photoperiods for diapause induction were observed at fluctuating regimes compared with the corresponding constant ones. At alternating temperatures, the incidence of diapause ranged from 4.2% to 33.3% and was determined by the temperature amplitude of the thermoperiod and by the interaction of cryophase or thermophase with the photoperiod. Helicoverpa armigera larvae seem to respond to photoperiodic stimuli at temperatures >15°C and <30°C; all insects entered diapause at a constant temperature of 15°C, whereas none did so at a constant temperature of 30°C under all the photoperiodic regimes examined. Although chilling was not a prerequisite for diapause termination, exposure of diapausing pupae to chilling conditions significantly accelerated diapause development and the time of adult emergence. Therefore, temperature may be the primary factor controlling the termination of diapause in H. armigera.     

Effects of photoperiod, temperature, and host plant age on induction of reproductive diapause and development time in Danaus plexippus

Abstract 1. Diapause induction in monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus was studied using adults captured from the wild in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and individuals reared under outdoor and controlled conditions.
2. Oocyte presence in females and ejaculatory duct mass in males were used to indicate reproductive status.
3. Some wild individuals were in diapause in mid-August, and all males and females were in diapause by late August and early September respectively.
4. Individuals reared under decreasing day lengths and fluctuating temperatures were more likely to be in diapause than were individuals reared under long or short day lengths or constant temperatures.
5. Individuals fed potted old Asclepias curassavica plants were more likely to be in diapause than were those fed potted young host plants; when cuttings of Asclepias syriaca plants from the field or greenhouse pots were used, there was no effect of host plant age.
6. Extremely high temperatures increased the number of day-degrees required for development from egg to adult, while decreasing day lengths and older host plants tended to decrease the number of day-degrees required for development.
7. There appears to be a continuum of reproductive development in monarchs, with gradual declines in mean ejaculatory duct mass and oocyte production during the late summer.
8. None of the experimental treatments led to 100% diapause, and diapause was more likely to occur in monarchs subjected to more than one diapause-inducing cue.     

光周期和温度对亚洲玉米螟滞育诱导的影响

亚洲玉米螟Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée)属兼性滞育昆虫, 其滞育特性与种群利用适生境的最大化和季节性活动密切相关。解析季节性因素如光周期和温度对其滞育的诱导作用可为预测种群发生动态提供科学依据。本实验在HPS 500型和HPG-320H型自动控制环境气候箱中, 测定了RH 80%下温度20℃, 27℃和30℃与11个光周期组合对吉林农安（NA）、 河北衡水（HS）、 广东惠州（HZ）和海南海口（HK）等4个地理种群的滞育诱导作用。结果表明： 光周期、 温度及其交互作用均对亚洲玉米螟滞育诱导具有重要影响, 其中光周期在滞育诱导中起主导作用。在20℃条件下, 其光周期反应曲线属典型的长日照反应型, 临界光周期随种群分布的地理纬度降低而缩短, 4个地理种群NA, HS, HZ和HK的临界日昼长依次为14 h 3 min, 13 h 59 min, 13 h 32 min和13 h 7 min, 最有效的滞育诱导光周期是日昼长12 h。另一方面, 随种群分布纬度升高, 其对光周期诱导滞育的敏感性降低。温度为27℃时, 其光周期反应曲线为短日照 长日照反应型, 各种群有两个临界光周期, 临界日昼长依次为12 h 50 min和13 h 32 min, 11 h 35 min和13 h 8 min, 12 h 58 min和13 h 1 min, 以及11 h 50 min和12 h 26 min, 且最有效的滞育诱导光周期范围的滞育率明显低于20℃。一定温度范围内（20℃～27℃）, 随温度升高, 临界光周期缩短; 温度达到30℃时则滞育显著被抑制, 滞育率仅为4.3%或更低。这些结果说明温度对亚洲玉米螟滞育的光周期诱导具有很强的补偿作用。因此, 在自然界亚洲玉米螟的滞育属具有温度补偿作用的长日照反应型昆虫, 临界光周期随地理纬度北移而增长; 种群滞育的短日照 长日照反应型特性可能是产生局部世代种群的重要内因。     

温度对感染沃尔巴克氏体的松毛虫赤眼蜂种群参数的影响

在16℃、20℃、24℃、28℃和32℃恒温下,观察了温度对感染沃尔巴克氏体的松毛虫赤眼蜂发育、存活和繁殖的影响,组建了相应温度下的实验种群生命表。结果表明,在实验温度范围内,感染沃尔巴克氏体的松毛虫赤眼蜂的发育历期随着温度的升高而逐渐缩短,5个温度下感染沃尔巴克氏体的松毛虫赤眼蜂世代的发育历期分别为23.2、17.8、13.2、11.1和7.8天,世代的发育起点温度和有效积温分别为7.40℃和212.69日·度,内禀增长率(r_m)和净生殖力(R₀)分别介于0.2448～0.4584和28.00～84.03之间。结果提示温度24℃～28℃为繁殖感染沃尔巴克氏体的松毛虫赤眼蜂的理想温度条件。     

马尾松树针叶挥发性化学物质对松毛虫赤眼蜂嗅觉及寄生行为的影响

应用Y型嗅觉仪测定松毛虫赤眼蜂Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura对9种马尾松树针叶挥发性物质对的嗅觉行为反应,确定了4种对于松毛虫赤眼蜂有影响活性的马尾松树针叶挥发性物质。它们分别是α-蒎烯,β-蒎烯,柠檬烯,α-萜品醇乙酸酯4种物质,其中尤以α-蒎烯和β-蒎烯2种物质作用最显著。产卵生测实验中,4种活性挥发性物质的混合物分别与它们的单一成分、α-蒎烯、β-蒎烯分别与除去它们后的混合物进行比较。结果显示,与对照相比,它们均能对松毛虫赤眼蜂的产卵寄生率产生显著影响,该结果也和Y型嗅觉仪下的实验结果基本一致。但在单一物质和混合物对松毛虫赤眼蜂的寄生率影响比较中,混合物并没有使松毛虫赤眼蜂产生最高的寄生率,这说明可能是某种单一物质在其寄生过程中起主导作用。     

Effects of photoperiod and temperature on diapause induction and termination in the swallowtail,Sericinus montelus

Abstract Sericinus montelus overwinters as diapausing pupae. In the present study, the effects of photoperiod and temperature on diapause induction and termination of diapause are investigated. The results obtained demonstrate that high temperature can reverse the effect of short day‐lengths on diapause induction. Under an LD 12 : 12 h photoperiod, all pupae enter diapause at 15, 20 and 25 °C, whereas all pupae develop without diapause at 35 °C. No pupae enter diapause under an LD 14 : 10 h photoperiod when the temperature is above 20 °C. Photoperiodic response curves obtained at 25 and 30 °C indicate that S. montelus is a long‐day species and the critical day‐length is approximately 13 h at 25 °C. At 25 °C, the duration of diapause is shortest when the diapausing pupae are maintained under an LD 16 : 8 h photoperiod and increases under LD 14 : 10 h and LD 12 : 12 h photoperiods. Under an LD 16 : 8 h photoperiod, the duration of diapause is shortest when the diapausing pupae are maintained at 25 °C, followed by 20 and 30 °C, and then at 15 °C. These results suggest that a moderate temperature favours diapause development under a diapause‐averting photoperiod in this species. The duration of diapause induced by an LD 12 : 12 h photoperiod is significantly longer at 25 °C than those at 15, 20 and 30 °C, and is shortest at 15 °C. At 25 °C, the duration of diapause induced by LD 6 : 18, LD 12 : 12 and LD 13 : 11 h photoperiods is similar and longer than 90 days. Thus, the diapause‐inducing conditions may affect diapause intensity and a photoperiod close to the critical day‐length has significant influence on diapause intensity in S. montelus.     

Effects of endosymbiotic Wolbachia on the diapause in Trichogramma hosts and effects of the diapause on Wolbachia

Abstract Used as an agent in biological control, Trichogramma which has been infected by endosymbiotic bacteria belonging to the genus Wolbachia and inducing the thelytokous mode of reproduction, increases rearing productivity in commercial insectaries. These insectaries can now make use of Trichogramma diapause to spread out and optimise their production. We therefore studied the effect of Wolbachia on the diapause in Trichogramma evanescens. The symbionts show no beneficial or harmful effect on the proportion of emergence in diapausing individuals or on their fecundity. Therefore, infected strains can easily be used in crop protection. On the other hand, low temperatures exert a slightly negative effect on Wolbachia, as detected from the proportion of females in the offspring of symbiotic diapausing females.     

利用柞蚕卵繁殖的松毛虫赤眼蜂的适宜冷贮虫期和温度

我国普遍利用柞蚕Antheraea pernyi卵大量繁殖和释放赤眼蜂防治多种农林害虫。对赤眼蜂进行冷贮有助于其商品化生产、运输和释放应用。为了全面评价冷贮对柞蚕卵繁殖赤眼蜂的影响,作者采用柞蚕卵为寄主,以贮存温度（4℃、7℃、10℃和13℃）、贮存虫期（卵、幼虫、预蛹和蛹期）和贮存时间（2周、4周、6周和8周）为参试因子,研究了冷贮对松毛虫赤眼蜂Trichogramma dendrolimi羽化出蜂率、单卵出蜂数、单卵雌蜂比的影响。结果表明,3个因素均可单独或互作显著影响羽化出蜂率和单卵出蜂数,尤以贮存虫期的影响更为明显;但3个因素对单卵出蜂性比影响不大。综合各冷贮虫期对低温的反应,松毛虫赤眼蜂对10℃反应最敏感,各虫期羽化出蜂率和单卵出蜂数明显降低,不适宜长期冷贮;对7℃反应相对较不敏感,最适宜长期贮存。在适宜长期冷贮温度（4℃和7℃）条件下,适宜贮存虫期有所不同,4℃下为幼虫期和蛹期,7℃下为卵期和蛹期,在这些虫期和贮存温度条件组合下羽化出峰率和单卵出蜂数相对于其他虫期受冷贮的不利影响较小。从对羽化出蜂率的影响来看,于卵期7℃下冷贮为最适宜;从对单卵出蜂数的影响来看,于蛹期在4℃和7℃冷贮为适宜。     

Cumulative induction of diapause in successive generations of Trichogramma species (Hymenoptera,Trichogrammatidae)

The ability of two Trichogramma species (Trichogramma telengai Sor. and T. principium Sug. et Sor.) to accumulate the effect of the maternal photoperiodic response during 5 consecutive generations reared in the laboratory under the short day (12 h) conditions was investigated. Control individuals developed at the same temperature of 20°C, but under the long day (18 h) conditions. The tendency to diapause was estimated by the proportion of progeny that entered diapause under the short day conditions at the temperatures of 13, 14 and 15°C. Trichogramma principium manifested an evident transgenerational cumulative photoperiodic response: the development of 1, 2, and 3 consecutive generations under the short day conditions caused a gradual increase in the proportion of diapausing progeny. In T. telengai, the progeny of the females that developed under the short day conditions also entered diapause more often than the progeny of those that developed under the long day conditions, but the number of preceding generations which developed under short day had no effect on the tendency to diapause. This interspecific difference can be possibly explained by the different natural geographic ranges of the two studied species. Trichogramma principium occurs in Southern Europe, Southern Kazakhstan, and Central Asia where the autumnal decrease in temperature is very slow and thus two or even more generations can develop under the short day conditions, whereas T. telengai is distributed over Central and North-Western Europe and in Siberia, where the autumnal decrease in temperature is rather fast, the development of one more “autumnal” generation is risky, and thus even the first “short-day signal” induces a very strong tendency of the progeny to diapause.     

23种农药对松毛虫赤眼蜂的急性毒性及安全性评价

采用管测药膜法测定了23种常用杀虫剂、杀菌剂和除草剂对松毛虫赤眼蜂的急性毒性,并参考各药剂的田间推荐剂量进行了安全性评价。结果表明,在供试的7种杀虫剂中,噻唑膦、噻虫胺、虫螨腈、硫双威、啶虫脒和烯啶虫胺对松毛虫赤眼蜂成蜂均表现为极高风险性,多杀菌素为高风险性,在田间放蜂期应避免喷洒上述杀虫剂。供试的10种杀菌剂和6种除草剂对松毛虫赤眼蜂的风险普遍低于杀虫剂。其中,仅杀菌剂代森锰锌和戊唑醇对松毛虫赤眼蜂表现为高风险性;杀菌剂乙嘧酚磺酸酯、氰霜唑、百菌清和除草剂氟唑磺隆、五氟磺草胺、草甘膦异丙胺盐具有中等风险性;杀菌剂甲基硫菌灵、苯醚甲环唑、啶氧菌酯、氟啶胺、粉唑醇和除草剂氯氟吡氧乙酸异辛酯、高效氟吡甲禾灵、甲基二磺隆具有低风险性,但在生产应用中仍需谨慎操作,以减轻对天敌昆虫的杀伤作用并保护生态平衡。     

Multigenerational maternal effect on diapause induction in Trichogramma species (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

Maternal photoperiodic response is known to influence the percentage of diapausing prepupae in Trichogramma species. However, the influence of several preceding generations has not yet been studied. We have investigated the stability of photoperiod-induced changes in multiple generations of Trichogramma buesi Voegele and Trichogramma principium Sug. et Sor. Short-day conditions during preimaginal development induced an increase in the percentage of diapausing progeny and grand progeny of both Trichogramma species. A similar trend was also detected in the fourth and fifth generations, but the response was weak although statistically significant. This grand-grandmaternal photoperiodic effect (which has not been demonstrated before for Trichogramma or for any other insect parasitoid) is most probably based on the transgenerational transmission of variations in DNA expression. We conclude that in mass rearing, to facilitate diapause induction before cold storage, it is advisable to rear both maternal and grandmaternal generations under the short-day conditions. In scientific studies, several generations preceding the experiment should be kept under equal conditions to exclude multigenerational maternal effects.     

Effects of photoperiod,temperature, food and relative humidity on the induction of diapause in the predatory miteAmblyseius potentillae

Aspects of the induction of diapause were studied in a Dutch strain of the phytoseiid miteAmblyseius potentillae. The photoperiodic response curve was of the long-day type, with a sharply defined critical daylength of 14.5 h. Critical daylength varied only little at temperatures between 15.0 and 22.5°C.All post-embryonic and possibly even late-embryonic stages of development were found to be sensitive to photoperiod; sensitivity appeared to be maximal during the protonymphal stage.It is shown that -carotene is necessary for some early step in the physiological mechanism of photoperiodic induction, and not (or not exclusively) for the expression of the diapause response.Two points of sensitivity to light could be demonstrated in the nights ofld 1311 andld 1212 long-night regimes, using 1-h night interruptions. These results are similar to those obtained in lightbreak experiments with spider mites and insects. However, no effect was found with light interruptions applied during the dark phase of anld 1014 long-night regime.In resonance experiments with a constant photophase (12 h) and a variable scotophase, a weak rhythmic response was found at 22.5°C; at 19.0°C this effect was completely absent.The relative humidity experienced by the mites during diapause induction as well as during diapause development influenced the rate of diapause completion under long days (ld 168). Diapause duration appeared to be shortest when the mites experienced low relative humidity (35±5%) during diapause induction and high relative humidity (75±5%) during diapause termination, and longest under the reverse conditions.     

Effects of photoperiod and temperature on diapause induction in Conogethes punctiferalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

The yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenée), a multivoltine species that overwinters as diapausing larvae, is one of the most serious insect pests on maize in China. Effect of photoperiod and temperature on larval diapause was examined under empirical laboratory conditions. Short‐day treatments caused larval diapause at 25°C, and the critical photoperiod was between 12 and 13 h (or 12 h 51 min) light per day. No sensitive instar was identified for diapause induction under alternated short‐ (L : D 11 : 13 h) and long‐day (L : D 14 : 10 h) treatments at different larval stages. However, accumulative treatment of three instars and 10 d under short‐day treatment was required for the induction of 50% larval diapause. All larvae entered diapause at 20°C, whereas less than 3% did so at 30°C, irrespective of the long‐ or short‐day treatment. Furthermore, under the short‐day treatment, more than 90% of larvae went into diapause with temperatures ≤ 25°C, but less than 17% did so at 28°C. In contrast, under the long‐day treatment, less than 19% of larvae went into diapause with temperatures ≥ 23°C. The forward shift (5°C) of critical temperature under the long‐day regime demonstrated the compensatory effect of temperature and photoperiod on diapause induction. In conclusion, C. punctiferalis had a temperature‐dependent type I photoperiodic diapause response; there was no sensitive instar for diapause determination, but the photoperiodic accumulation time countermeasures both of the short‐day cycles and the number of instars exposed, and the photoperiodic diapause response, was a temperature‐compensated phenomenon.     

Effects of photoperiod and temperature on pupal diapause induction of grape berry moth Lobesia botrana

Abstract. The grape berry moth, Lobesia botrana Denn. & Sciff. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), one of the most injurious pest of grape berries in Greece, is a multivoltine species that overwinters as diapausing pupae. The effects of several diel and non-diel photoperiods and of temperature, experienced by eggs and larvae, on pupal diapause induction were investigated. The diapause response curve was of Type I (long day type) and the determining factor was the duration of scotophase (> 11 h), regardless of the duration of photophase. However, at very short (< 4 h) photoperiods, the incidence of diapause was also high. Diapause was positively and significantly correlated with the egg-larval developmental time, pupal mortality and the duration of the pupal stage. Eggs and larvae reared under LD 12 : 12 h photoperiod and various temperatures (from 12 to 30 °C) produced diapausing pupae (almost 100%), but the duration of the pupal stage (intensity of diapause) increased with increasing temperature. Under continuous darkness, however, the percentage diapause decreased with increasing temperature. Single and double 1-h light pulses were applied systematically at various times during the scotophase of six diapause-inducing diel photoperiods. Two photosensitive points in time (called A and B) were revealed, during which illumination resulted in a significant decrease of diapause induction. The decrease was much greater during the first sensitive period (early in scotophase) rather than in the second (late in the scotophase).     

Effects of putrescine on diapause induction and intensity,and post‐diapause development of Helicoverpa armigera

Effects of putrescine on diapause induction and intensity, and post‐diapause development in Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) from Wuhan, Hubei, China were studied in the laboratory at different temperatures and photoperiod conditions. The results showed a generally higher incidence of diapause in putrescine‐feeding groups. Putrescine feeding distinctly restricted the development of non‐diapause‐destined and diapause‐destined larvae, except at 0.01% putrescine concentration, which accelerated the development of larvae at 21 °C. Putrescine had no significant effect on the duration of diapause, although it inhibited the post‐diapause development of pupae. Photoperiod played a different role in diapause induction and post‐diapause development between 21 and 23 °C. Putrescine played a definite role in diapause induction and intensity, and post‐diapause development in H. armigera, and a significant interaction between putrescine, photophase, and temperature is to be expected.     

Effects of temperature,photoperiod and soil humidity on induction of pseudopupal diapause in the bean blister beetle Epicauta gorhami

Larvae of the bean blister beetle Epicauta gorhami Marseul (Coleoptera: Meloidae) feed on grasshopper eggs in soil and undergo hypermetamorphosis. This beetle undergoes larval diapause in the fifth instar as a pseudopupa, a form characteristic of hypermetamorphosis in meloid beetles. The effects of temperature, photoperiod and soil humidity on larval development of E. gorhami are examined in a population in Miyazaki, Japan, using egg pods of Locusta migratoria L. as food. At lower temperatures (20 and 22.5 °C), all larvae become pseudopupae, regardless of the photoperiod. By contrast, at higher temperatures (27.5 and 30 °C), almost all larvae pupate at the end of the fourth instar, again regardless of the photoperiod. A long‐day photoperiodic response occurs only at an intermediate temperature (25 °C): under an LD 12 : 12 h photocycle, all larvae enter diapause, although the diapause incidence tends to decrease as the day length becomes longer. Pseudopupae are immobile and remain in diapause for ≥120 days when they are kept under the same conditions, except that diapause terminates within a relatively short time at 30 °C. Although lower soil humidity retards post‐feeding development, soil humidity has no effect on the diapause incidence. On the basis of the short developmental period and diapause avoidance under summer conditions, it is suggested that this beetle partially produces two generations a year in southwestern Japan.     

Geographic variation in diapause induction under constant and changing conditions in Helicoverpa armigera

Variation in the incidence of diapause in local populations of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and Helicoverpa assulta (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was examined in relation to changes in photoperiod and/or temperature during the larval period. Temperate zone populations of H. assulta, a native species in temperate Japan, showed a high incidence of diapause induction when only the photoperiod was decreased during the larval period, even at favorable temperatures. This photoperiod‐dependent response may allow H. assulta to foresee the beginning of autumn well in advance in the temperate zone, where temperature conditions are severe. In contrast, temperate zone populations of H. armigera, an invasive and polyphagous species mainly distributed in the subtropics, showed a high incidence of diapause only when both photoperiod and temperature decreased, whereas subtropical populations showed a very low incidence of diapause under the same conditions. Furthermore, both temperate zone and subtropical populations of H. armigera enter diapause under constant low temperatures at short‐day photoperiod. Thus, there is geographic variation in sensitivity to diapause‐inducing stimuli (changes in photoperiod and temperature) in H. armigera. This variation may be a part of the climatic adaptation achieved by H. armigera in Japan.