Supercooling and cold-hardiness in eggs of western and northern corn rootworms

Oviposition by northern corn rootworms, Diabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence, and western corn rootworms, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), key pests of corn in the Great Plains of the USA, occurs in the soil during late summer. Overwintering eggs are exposed to variable soil moisture and temperatures below ?5 °C. The winter mortality of eggs in the soil is a primary factor that determines the potential for larval injury to corn the following spring. Our studies aimed to determine the comparative supercooling capacities of northern and western corn rootworm eggs and to assess egg mortality following brief exposure to extreme low temperature, ranging from ?12.0 to ?21.5 °C, under three moisture regimes. Eggs of northern corn rootworm were supercooled to a temperature as low as ?27 °C, and survived supercooling to a greater extent than did western corn rootworm eggs. Moisture treatment prior to supercooling had little effect on northern corn rootworm eggs. Western corn rootworm eggs were more resistant than northern corn rootworm eggs to the effects of desiccation followed by supercooling. The survival of northern corn rootworm eggs was better than western corn rootworms under dry conditions, followed by exposure to temperatures of ?12.0 and ?17.5 °C, but was very low at ?21.5 °C, regardless of the moisture regime. The results suggest that moisture and temperature may interact in the soil environment to determine the overwintering survival of corn rootworms. It is evident from these studies that both rootworm species experience mortality at temperatures well above the supercooling points of the eggs, but that differences exist in the effects of substrate moisture treatments on the cold‐hardiness of eggs from the two species.     

冰核真菌削弱赤拟谷盗抗寒力的初步研究

赤拟谷盗Tribolium castaneum是不耐结冰的害虫,在冬季它通过降低过冷却点以避免结冰造成的致命伤害。冰核活性细菌能显著提高昆虫的过冷却点,使之在较高的零下温度发生结冰。试验证明冰核活性真菌也能显著提高赤拟谷盗的过冷却点。对照组平均过冷却点为-14.9℃。用10 g/L的冰核真菌制剂喷洒虫体,风干后测定,平均过冷却点提高到-4.8℃。用0.1 g/L处理后至少在7天内过冷却点保持较高。这些结果表明冰核真菌可能成为一种在冬季使用的、防治不耐结冰害虫的促冻杀虫剂。     

西藏飞蝗各发育阶段的耐寒性

西藏飞蝗Locusta migratoria tibetensis Chen是青藏高原的重要农牧业害虫。对该虫各发育阶段的过冷却点和结冰点的测定表明,西藏飞蝗卵的过冷却点和结冰点为最低,分别为-22.02℃、-16.36℃,4龄蝻的过冷却点和结冰点最高,分别是-6.46℃和-5.05℃,西藏飞蝗在甘孜以卵越冬。     

红脂大小蠹 Dendroctonus valens （ Coleoptera, Scolytidae ）和大唼蜡甲Rhizophagus grandis （Coleoptera, Rhizophagidae）的耐寒性

红脂大小蠹 Dendroctonus valens LeConte (Red turpentine beetle,RTB)是近年来在中国爆发的入侵生物,在我国主要以老熟幼虫在油松伐桩和立木的根部越冬.室内测定昆虫的过冷却点(SCP)和短时间致死低温(LLT)是评价昆虫耐寒能力的重要方法.实验结果显示,红脂大小蠹越冬幼虫的平均过冷却点为一11.98±2.55℃,是一种耐冰冻的昆虫.红脂大小蠹的过冷却点在不同地理分布区的种群问有明显差异,老熟幼虫的过冷却点明显低于低龄幼虫,在越冬前和越冬后的幼虫问没有明显差异.红脂大小蠹幼虫在冬季至少町以忍受-23.5℃的大气温度安全越冬.从2001年开始引入我国的云杉大小蠹的捕食者大唼蜡甲(Rhizophagus grandis cyll.)幼虫的过冷却点为-18.05±2.76℃,低于红脂大小蠹所有虫态的过冷却点,说明比红脂大小蠹有更强的耐寒能力.     

Cold-hardiness: a component of the diapause syndrome in pupae of the flesh flies, Sarcophaga crassipalpis and S. bullata

ABSTRACT. Diapausing pupae of Sarcophaga crassipalpis Macquart and S. bullata Parker reared at 20 or 25C readily survive exposure to - 10C for at least 25 days. In contrast, non-diapausing pupae produced by a variety of means are consistently intolerant of the low temperature. Non-diapausing pupae are not immediately killed by exposure to -10C: pupae exposed to the low temperature for up to 3 days proceed with pharate adult development but ultimately die before adult eclosion. Unlike many temperate zone insects, diapausing flesh fly pupae do not require a period of chilling for induction of cold-hardiness, and the attribute of cold-hardiness cannot be separated from other features of the diapause syndrome. Some cold-hardiness is already acquired during the third larval instar: diapause-destined larvae exposed to -10C are more successful in pupariating than non-diapause-destined larvae of the same age.     

Environmental triggers to cryoprotectant modulation in separate populations of the gall fly, Eurost a solidaginis (Fitch)

Northern and southern populations of the gall fly Eurosta solidaginis utilize quantitatively distinct adaptive strategies when exposed to a laboratory simulation of winter temperatures. Both populations are freezing tolerant and rely in part on the temperature-dependent accumulation of glycerol and sorbitol, and static but elevated levels of trehalose for protection. The accumulation triggers are time-temperature dependent. For northern and southern populations, exposure to 5°C for periods exceeding 24 hr, but less than 5 days or 5°C with a gradual reduction (1°C/day) results in the accumulation of sorbitol at 1.5 μg/mg/day. Glycerol levels remain essentially constant between 10° and ?25°C in each population. However, the concentration of glycerol in the Minnesota population is 3–4 times greater that that of the Texas specimens. Haemolymph melting points varied quantitatively with changing cryoprotectant levels. No significant difference was noted between the supercooling points of each population. This suggests that ice-nucleator levels were comparable throughout the exposure period.     

Physiological adaptations of coccinellidae to supranivean and subnivean hibernacula

The supranivean hibernaculum of Hippodamia convergens allows exposure of this species to fluctuating temperatures and humidities. Correspondingly, H. convergens is resistant to desiccation, maintains cold-hardiness independent of temperature, and responds to warm acclimation with a reduced respiration rate. Beneath the snow, Coleomegilla maculata is maintained at a constant temperature and high humidity. Warm acclimation in this species results in a loss of cold-hardiness and an increase in respiration rate. This response suggests a transition from an energy-conserving metabolic state associated with overwintering to one of energy expenditure as the beetles prepare for summer feeding and reproduction.     

中华通草蛉成虫抗寒能力季节性变化

中华通草蛉（Chrysoperla sinica）成虫在自然条件下抗寒能力的季节性变化研究表明,雌、雄成虫的抗寒能力均呈现出季节性的变化趋势,即随着冬季低温的到来,其抗寒能力逐渐增强,冬季过后又随气温的回升,其抗寒力逐渐减弱.雌、雄成虫的体内含水量、过冷却点（SCP）和结冰点（FP）均随气温的降低而降低,升高而升高,但体内总脂肪的含量却随气温的降低而升高,升高而降低.越冬代在越冬的前期和中期,雌、雄成虫体内的含水量和SCP均显著低于生长季节的其它各代,越冬代后期的含水量和SCP与生长季节其它各代没有显著差异.经回归分析发现,雌、雄成虫体内含水量与SCP之间均存在极显著负相关关系（p＜0.01）;越冬代成虫（特别是越冬前期）的体内总脂肪含量显著高于其它时期,并且雌成虫体内的总脂肪含量与SCP之间呈显著正相关（p＜0.05）,雄成虫体内总脂肪含量与SCP之间没有显著相关性（p＞0.05）.在一年的不同世代中,雌、雄成虫体内含水量只是在越冬前期有显著差异,SCP和体内总脂肪含量却在越冬后期有显著差异.     

赤松毛虫越冬幼虫生化物质变化与抗寒性的关系

昆虫的抗寒性与其体内生化物质的种类、含量密切相关。测定了赤松毛虫(Dendrolimusspectabilis)越冬幼虫体内和血淋巴内抗寒物质含量的变化,结果表明,血淋巴内小分子碳水化合物总量1月份为10月份的3.8倍,其中以葡萄糖、海藻糖和山梨醇增加幅度较大,依次为10月份的10.08倍、2.84倍、7.44倍。3月份有较大幅度的下降,虫体内糖原含量下降了56.5%。越冬期苏氨酸、丝氨酸、谷氨酸、丙氨酸、胱氨酸增加幅度较大,分别比越冬前增加了493.8%、433.7%、474.2%、21.5%和47.1%,甘氨酸、天门冬氨酸、蛋氨酸、亮氨酸、酪氨酸、苯丙氨酸、组氨酸、精氨酸、脯氨酸含量则有较大幅度的降低。越冬幼虫体内脂肪含量下降,蛋白质含量上升。应用蛋白质垂直平板电泳法对糖蛋白进行电泳分析发现糖蛋白含量增加,为越冬前的300%。综合分析认为赤松毛虫越冬幼虫体内抗寒物质系统为小分子碳水化合物类(山梨醇、海藻糖、葡萄糖)-糖蛋白-氨基酸类(丙氨酸、苏氨酸、谷氨酸等)。该系统可随生态条件的改变而变化。     

Cold-hardiness of Dermacentor marginatus (Acari: Ixodidae)

The cold-hardiness of Dermacentor marginatus using laboratory-reared offspring of ticks collected in Germany was characterized. Investigations of unfed stages revealed that adult ticks suffered 50% mortality at –10°C after 4–5 months, but larvae and nymphs suffered mortality within few days, whereas –15°C was lethal for all stages within a very short period. Larval hatch and moulting of engorged larvae and nymphs did not occur at 10°C. Embryonic development of eggs with larval hatch was considerably reduced by exposure of eggs to 10°C. Engorged females did not lay eggs at 10°C, the oviposition capability, however, persisted over 6 months at 10°C, 5 months at 5°C, 3 months at 0°C and 2 months at –10°C without substantial decrease of the oviposition capacity or reduction of viable eggs. These results present evidence that unfed adult ticks are the ecoepidemiologically most effective stages, which are capable to tolerate long and extremely cold winters without substantial impairment of the population density. It is also considered that engorged females interrupt their oviposition at low and subzero temperatures delaying it for months and so contribute in bypassing winter conditions. None of the stages survived supercooling indicating that D. marginatus is freeze intolerant. Mean supercooling point (SCP) ranged between –26°C in eggs and –12, 6°C in engorged females. Compared with eggs, the SCP of the other stages was significantly higher. In conclusion, the SCP is considered to have no predictive value in the context with cold-hardiness.