Female calling and copulation behaviour of Indian population of an invasive pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797)

Abstract

Abstract An experiment was conducted to study and document the copulation duration and effect of mating on female calling behaviour of Indian population of an invasive pest, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith). Results showed that 58.39% of the females in absence of males and 88.18% of females in presence of males exhibited calling on first scotophase and onset time of calling was early in females in presence of males. Calling length and calling bouts varied significantly with increase in age in virgin females, while in multiple mated females it showed declining trend. The copulation duration of S. frugiperda varied between 78.00±7.35 min to 197.14±11.06 min with maximum copulation duration and percentage of females mated was observed on second scotophase. The fecundity of multiple mated females ranged between 841 to 1849 with mean of 1176±113 while in single mated females it ranged between 476 to 1368 with mean of 878±175. Practically our results indicated that the calling and mating takes place on first scotophase and it was on peak in second scotophase. This information can be used in formulating biorational molecules, which may modulate calling behaviour and improve mating disruption in S. frugiperda for its management.