Influence of intraspecific larval competition and mating on the longevity and reproductive performance of females of the leaf miner Agromyza frontella (Rondani) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)

Abstract

Longevity and fecundity of mated and unmated Agromyza frontella females were positively related to pupal weight which was determined by the degree of intraspecific larval competition to which individuals had been subjected. The incidence of egg eclosion for mated females was also positively correlated to pupal weight. Unmated females lived longer, started ovipositing later following emergence, and had a lower mean daily and total fecundity than mated females, which supports the hypothesis of a trade-off between reproductive output and longevity. However, a positive relationship existed between fecundity and longevity for both mated and unmated females, as well as between high early egg production and longevity for mated females.