A SIMULATION-MODEL OF THE LONG-DISTANCE MIGRATION OF HELICOVERPA SPP MOTHS

This paper describes a simulation model of the long-distance migration of the moths Helicoverpa punctigera and H. armigera. The model is a c omponent of a wide-area simulation model of Helicoverpa spp. populatio n dynamics in inland and eastern Australia. The wide-area Helicoverpa model will form the basis of a proposed system for forecasting migrati ons of moths from the inland to the summer cropping areas of the east, where they cause significant economic damage. The migration model was implemented using the object-oriented class library of the generic mo del GenSIM. The flexibility of the migration model was maximised by sp ecifying simple, standard interfaces for its submodels, enabling the r eady substitution of one submodel for another. Since this paper was pr esented, the role of GenSIM has shifted away from providing a shell fo r the development of aggregate models. It now focuses on the less ambi tious task of implementing models which fit well into such aggregate m odels. In particular, it supports the linking of models to geographic information systems, such as that which now provides the shell for the wide-area Helicoverpa model.