FACTORS AFFECTING THE TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPRING FLIGHT OF THE EUROPEAN CORN BORER, OSTRINIA NUBILALIS (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

Abstract

AbstractA multiple regression analysis was used to establish which weather factors and population parameters were important in determining the emergence pattern of the spring flight of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hbn.), as measured by light trap catches. Equations which estimated the slope and intercept of a line representing the probit of cumulative percentage emergence vs. degree days had as independent variables the intercept of the previous year’s regression line and the average temperature for the preceding September, December, February, and April. A comparison of methods used to estimate the emergence pattern showed that the average deviation of the average date method was 5.0 days, the average slope and intercept method 2.8 days, and multiple regression method 1.6 days.