Preliminary study of the flight capacity of the cabbage moth,Mamestra brassicae Linnaeus
Author of the article:WU Xiao1, 2** FU Xiao-Wei2 ZHAO Xin-Cheng1 WU Kong-Ming2***
Author's Workplace：1. College of Plant Protection, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; 2. State Key Laboratory of Insect Pests and Plant Diseases, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Key Words：Mamestra brassicae, flight capacity, flight mill, emergence, mating status
Abstract：[Objectives] To test the effects of age, sex and mating etc. on the flight capacity of the cabbage moth, Mamestra brassicae Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), an important migratory insect pest of vegetable crops throughout the world. [Methods] The flight performances of mated and virgin male and female M. brassicae were examined by tethering individuals to computerized flight mills for 24 h to measure the parameters of total flight distance, flight time, and flight velocity, under a laboratory conditions at a temperature of (24±1)℃ and relative humidity of 75%±5%. [Results] Mean flight velocity, duration, and distance, varied with age. The flight capacity of M. brassicae was strong after emergence, peaked at 2- to 3-days of age, and then underwent a significant decrease in 4- to 5-day old moths. The flight capacity of the females was greater than that of males. The mean flight velocity of mated moths was significantly less than that of virgin moths, but there were no significant difference in mean flight duration and flight distance between mated and virgin moths. The flight capacity of the southward migratory population was significantly higher than that of the northward migratory population and that of the transitional population collected in the Bohai Gulf. [Conclusion] Age and mating status are the key factors affecting the flight capacity of M. brassicae.