Aj. Tamhankar, INFLUENCE OF HOST PRESENCE, AGE AND MATING ON THE CALLING BEHAVIOR OFFEMALE EARIAS-VITELLA (FABRICIUS) (LEPIDOPTERA, NOCTUIDAE), Insect science and its application, 15(3), 1994, pp. 275-280
The influence of host presence, age and mating on calling behaviour of
the female spotted bollworm, Earias vittella, was studied under a 14L
:10D photoperiod. Onset of calling was earlier in the presence of a ho
st and 93% of the females initiated calling in its presence on day one
after emergence, compared to 67% in its absence. A majority of the fe
males initiated calling during the 10th hour of the first scotophase a
nd thereafter the initiation shifted to earlier hours as age advanced.
Females generally called longer in the presence of a host, The mean t
ime spent in calling, from the Ist to the 10th day increased from 56 t
o 152 min In the absence of a host, and from 77 to 234 min in its pres
ence. Most of the females resumed calling after mating, but the mated
females exhibited a significant reduction in calling performance when
compared with the virgin females.