MODIFICATIONS IN THE CALLING BEHAVIOUR OF PSEUDALETIA VNIPUNCTA (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE), INDUCED BY TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS DURING PUPAL AND ADULT DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

AbstractThe age at which Pseudaletia unipuncta females initiated calling varied with temperatures experienced during pupal and adult stages. Entrainment was induced by temperatures during pupal development if similar to or lower than temperatures during adult life. However, adult temperatures were of major importance if lower than those experienced during pupal development. These observations were generally supported by data from field experiments repeated at different periods of the summer. The possibility that entrainment occurs at a specific period of development is proposed to explain certain field observations.Changes in mean onset time of calling and the time spent calling also varied, although generally not in the same manner as reported for other species. Differences in the life cycles, particularly the site of pupation, are proposed to explain these discrepancies.