Effects of temperature on eggs, fecundity, and adult longevity of Hylobiustransversovittatus Goeze (Coleoptera : Curculionidae), a biological control agent of purple loosestrife
Tj. Mcavoy et Lt. Kok, Effects of temperature on eggs, fecundity, and adult longevity of Hylobiustransversovittatus Goeze (Coleoptera : Curculionidae), a biological control agent of purple loosestrife, BIOL CONTRO, 15(2), 1999, pp. 162-167
Oviposition, egg development, and adult longevity of Hylobius transversovit
tatus Goeze (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a biological control agent of purp
le loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.), were studied at several temperatures
. Adults reared at constant temperatures of 12.5, 15, 20, 25, and 30 +/- 1
degrees C showed large differences in longevity and oviposition response to
temperature. Preoviposition and oviposition periods increased with decreas
ed temperature. The preoviposition period ranged from 8.4 days at 25 degree
s C to 77.9 days at 12.5 degrees C, and the oviposition period was 143.2 da
ys at 30 degrees C and 891.7 days at 12.5 degrees C. Oviposition per female
per day increased from 0.34 eggs at 12.5 degrees C to 2.92 at 25 degrees C
. The highest total number of eggs per female (701.3) was observed at 25 de
grees C. At 30 degrees C, total eggs laid per female decreased to 139.0. Ad
ults lived for over 3 years at the lower temperatures, and longevity was in
versely proportional to temperature. For the range of temperatures tested,
females survived six times longer at the lowest temperature (1149.3 days at
12.5 degrees C) compared with the highest temperature (185.4 days at 30 de
grees C). Based on regression analysis, minimum threshold temperature for d
evelopment was 9.5, 12.7, and 11.6 degrees C for eggs, preoviposition, and
oviposition, respectively. Eggs were reared at 10, 15, 20, 25, 27.5, 30, 32
.5, and 35 degrees C and had hatch rates of >90% at 20, 25, and 30 degrees
C but only 5% hatch at 32.5 degrees C, and zero at 10 and 35 degrees C. Dev
elopmental rate of eggs increased with temperature between 15 and 30 degree
s C but decreased at 32.5 degrees C. Egg developmental time increased from
8 to 36 days with temperatures decreasing from 30 to 15 degrees C, respecti
vely. These data indicate that 25 degrees C is the optimum temperature for
oviposition and egg development. (C) 1999 Academic Press.