Field evaluation of purified Z-9, E-11-tetradecadienyl acetate as an attractant for males ofSpodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera,Noctuidae)

The efficiency of 100% purified Z-9, E-11-tetradecadienyl acetate, the major sex attractant for males ofS. littoralis, was evaluated in a field test. A trap (17-cm diameter) baited with 2 mg of the purified attractant dispensed in polyethene vials, was significantly less efficient in attractiveness than a trap baited with one virgin female. The importance of a synergistic component for improving the efficiency of theS. littoralis sex pheromone is discussed.     

Preliminary notes on the parasites ofSpodoptera Exigua (Huebner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Israel

Larvae ofSpodoptera exigua (Huebner) were collected and their parasites were reared out. From larvae collected in alfalfa fields, 14 parasite species were recovered; from those collected in corn fields, 12 species were recovered; eight species were common to both situations.Meteorus unicolor Wesm. was predominant in corn fields andChelonus inanitus (L.) was predominant in alfalfa fields.     

Mating,longevity, fertility and fecundity of the cotton leaf-worm,Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The mechanisms adopted to ensure mating success, fertility and fecundity ofS. littoralis were studied. The male moths usually mate only once a night but they mate repeatedly during most of their life span, and practically all their spermatophores are equally efficient for inseminating a female. Although females are also multiple maters, one spermatophore is sufficient for a female to lay fertile eggs throughout her life with no reduction in potential fecundity. While a male may mate 5.3 times, on the average, a female may mate only 2.3 times. As a pronounced decrease in pheromone release occurs after mating, a repeat mating by a female will occur only after most neighboring competitive virgin females have been inseminated. A male may mate therefore with 5.3 different females, all of which will be thoroughly inseminated. The female moth is ready to mate just after emergence and at any time throughout her life. If mating is delayed the preoviposition period is greatly prolonged and eggs are saved to be laid later, after mating, as fertile eggs. Delay in egg laying due to delayed insemination does not result in reduced fecundity as it is compensated for by prolonged longevity. Even if mating is greatly delayed and occurs after egg laying has already begun, the potential reduction in reproduction is not very great, due to the low daily egg-laying rate and the increased longevity of unmated females. It appears unreasonable to expect any tendency toward reduction of egg production with a decrease in the ratio of adult males in a population; for this purpose the control of males must be essentially complete. Therefore, a behavioral control program by mass trapping ofS. littoralis males is unlikely to be economically feasible.     

Response ofSpodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) andEarias insulana (Boisd.) larvae to azadirachtin and salannin

The effect of azadirachtin and salannin, two triterpenoids isolated from seeds of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss), on the feeding response ofSpodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) andEarias insulana (Boisd.) larvae, was investigated. Styropor (foamed polystyrene) lamellae were painted on both sides with a mixture of 5% sucrose with different concentrations of either azadirachtin or salannin dissoled in methanol-water (3∶7). Azadirachtin strongly suppressed feeding inS. littoralis larvae even at 0.001%, whereas salannin showed some antifeedant activity at 0.005% and above. Larvae ofE. insulana were deterred from feeding on azadirachtin-treated lamellae even at 0.005%, whereas salannin was effective only at 0.01% and above. Azadirachtin applied on cotton leaves deterred larvae ofS. littoralis from feeding at all concentrations ranging between 0.001 and 0.02%.     

Life tables of Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on different cultivated plants

Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a cosmopolitan species that feeds on numerous cultivated plants and herbaceaus plants. Agrotis ipsilon causes significant economic losses in various agricultural products, especially in indisturial plants and vegetables in Turkey and worldwide. In this study, the effects on the biology and reproductive potential of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L., Asteraceae), maize (Zea mays L., Poaceae), sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris var. saccharifera Alef.,Amaranthaceae) and potato (Solanum tuberosum L., Solanaceae) which are essential host plants of A. ipsilon were investigated under climatized conditions of 28?±?1 °C, 60%?±?10 r.h., and 16 h daily artificial light. The data obtained were analyzed by using an age-stage two-sex life table. Agrotis ipsilon had five larval stages fed on lettuce, whereas seven larval stages were fed on other host plants. Agrotis ipsilon showed the best development and reproduction on lettuce, followed by sugar beet. When A. ipsilon is reared on lettuce the intrinsic rate of increase (r?=?0.1237 d^?1), finite rate of increase (λ?=?1.1317 d^?1) and net reproductive rate (R₀?=?403.06 offspring/individual) were found higher and the mean generation times (T?=?48.51 d) is shorter than those in other host plants. According to these results, A. ipsilon can cause the most damage to lettuce among studied plants.

     

江西省裳夜蛾亚科昆虫名录（鳞翅目;夜蛾科）

本文记述了江西省裳夜蛾亚科的昆虫24个属71种昆虫,其中2种江西新纪录。     

Comparative biological activities of a plaque-purified variant and a Turkish native isolate of SpliNPV-B against Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

The noctuid moth Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) is an important pest of many cultivated plants worldwide and five different geographical Nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) strains of this pest have been isolated to date. Two of these, a plaque-purified variant of the S. littoralis NPV from Morocco (SpliNPV-M2) and a SpliNPV isolated from field-infected S. littoralis larvae found in Turkey (SpliNPV-TR1), were compared biologically in terms of infectiveness (median lethal dose, LD50) for third instars and in terms of virulence (median lethal time, LT50) for neonates and third-instar S. littoralis larvae. The LD50 values of SpliNPV-TR1 and SpliNPV-M2 were 20.73 and 185.21 occlusion bodies (OBs)/larva, respectively, with non-overlapping confidence limits indicating they were significantly different. Thus, SpliNPV-M2 was found to be significantly less infective (about nine times higher LD50) than SpliNPV-TR1. The LT50 values of neonates for SpliNPV-M2 and SpliNPV-TR1 were 37 and 43.9 h at a concentration of 10(6) OBs ml(-1), respectively. For these same isolates, the LT50 values at a concentration of 3 x 10(6) OBs ml(-1) were calculated as 35.6 and 41.7 h, respectively. The LT(50) values of third instars for SpliNPV-M2 and SpliNPV-TR1 were 147.4 and 160.5 h, respectively, at a dose of 3000 OBs/larva and 145.4 and 152.4 h, respectively, for the same isolates at a dose of 20,000 OBs/larva. On the other hand, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel) revealed a lack of lethality of the SpliNPV-TR1 isolate.     

江西省长须夜蛾亚科昆虫名录（鳞翅目;夜蛾科）

本文记述了江西省长须夜蛾亚科昆虫15属47种,其中5种江西新纪录。     

Distribution and metabolism of abamectin in larval stages of Spodoptera littoralis boisduval and Heliothis armigera hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Comparisons were made between the amounts of abamectin and total radioactivity recovered from Spodoptera littoralis and Heliothis armigera larvae after topical application of [³H]abamectin. Penetration (as shown by wash-off experiments) did not differ significantly between the Spodoptera instars. Significantly more abamectin was recovered from ventral nerve cord samples of larvae showing symptoms of poisoning than from larvae not showing these symptoms. Fifth-instar S. littoralis larvae had a significantly lower proportion of radioactivity as abamectin in the ventral nerve cord than in sixth-instar S. littoralis or fifth- and sixth-instar H. armigera. The proportion of radioactivity present as abamectin (but not total radioactivity) was significantly increased when the fifth-instar S. littoralis larvae were pre-treated with piperonyl butoxide (PB) suggesting that the relative insensitivity of fifth-instar S. littoralis larvae to abamectin is due at least in part to greater metabolism, particularly by microsomal oxidases. Fat body samples consistently had a greater proportion of radioactivity as abamectin than the nerve cord and the former may act as storage sites for abamectin.     

Potency and effect ofBacillus thuringiensis preparations against larvae ofSpodoptera littoralis andBoarmia (Ascotis) selenaria

The potency of two newBacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) preparations (coded ABG 6104 and ABG 6105) and of Dipel (B. thuringiensis var.kurstaki) was determined againstSpodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) 5th-instar larvae on a calcium-alginate diet. With this bioassay, the newB.t. products were more than twice as potent as Dipel. They were also 2–3 times more active than Dipel on alfalfa and cotton leaves in the laboratory. When applied in an alfalfa field at the rate of 312 mg/m², ABG 6104 and ABG 6105 caused 40% mortality of 5th-instar larvae and reduced the weight of the survivors to 30–40% of the control; only half of this activity was obtained with Dipel. On cotton, the activity of all theB. t. products was low. NeonateS. littoralis larvae were effectively controlled on avocado seedlings; however, there was high mortality also in the untreated controls. All threeB. t. preparations had a similar effect onBoarmia (Ascotis) selenaria Schiff. on avocado leaves in the laboratory. Addition of a chitinase enzyme did not increase the pathogenicity of the microbial preparations in the latter tests.     

Impact of a Turkish isolate and a plaque-purified variant of SpliNPV-B on larval stage development of Spodoptera littoralis (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Boisd

Baculoviruses can alter the development and physiological status of their insect hosts. In the present study, two Spodoptera littoralis nucleopolyhedroviruses (SpliNPV-TR1 and SpliNPV-M2) were examined in terms of their effect on the stage development of S. littoralis at two doses/concentrations by inoculation of neonates or third instars. Both isolates had an acute pathological effect on neonates. However, larval development was prolonged (6-36 h) by either infection when neonates were infected. When third-instar larvae were inoculated, no mortality occurred until insects moulted to later stages. When the isolates were compared, more mortality occurred in the fifth instar with SpliNPV-M2 than with SpliNPV-TR1, whereas less mortality occurred in the sixth instar with SpliNPV-M2 than with SpliNPV-TR1. However, none of the isolates demonstrated a dose effect. Larvae died at 108-198 h post-inoculation at all infections, and none of them pupated. Larval development was retarded (0-126 h) for each stage when third-instar larvae were inoculated. Consequently, SpliNPV-M2 would be a more effective control agent than SpliNPV-TR1 for control of S. littoralis since it kills larvae at earlier developmental stages.     

Insect deterrent activity of ethanolic leaf extracts of landrace maize and determination of active compounds against Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The present work was carried out to gain insight into the chemical defense of maize against phytophagous insects. Leaves of sixteen landrace populations...     

Lack of cross-resistance to indoxacarb in insecticide-resistant Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and Plutella xylostella (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae)

Two field strains of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith), collected from corn in north Florida showed high resistance to carbaryl (626- and 1159-fold) and moderate resistance to parathion-methyl (30- and 39-fold) as compared with a laboratory susceptible strain. A field strain of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) collected from cabbage in north Florida and selected for 20 generations with permethrin showed high resistance to permethrin (987-fold) as compared with a susceptible strain. However, in all instances, no cross-resistance to indoxacarb, a novel oxidiazine insecticide, was observed in these two species. Biochemical studies revealed that, in S. frugiperda, activities of detoxification enzymes (microsomal oxidase, glutathione S-transferase and general esterase) were significantly higher in the field strains than in the susceptible strain, indicating that these detoxification enzymes were not actively involved in the resistance to indoxacarb. The lack of cross-resistance between indoxacarb and permethrin in P. xylostella further supports the notion that the mode of action of these insecticides on the insect sodium channel is different.     

小地老虎化学感受蛋白AipsCSP2配体结合特性分析

为了明确小地老虎化学感受蛋白基因AipsCSP2在雌、雄成虫各组织中的表达情况,解析AipsCSP2蛋白的配体结合特性并探讨其功能.本文基于小地老虎性腺转录组数据,利用PCR技术克隆AipsCSP2基因,并进行生物信息学和系统进化分析;采用qPCR技术测定该基因在小地老虎雌、雄成虫不同组织中的表达水平;利用原核表达技术...     

Interaction of acetic acid and phenylacetaldehyde as attractants for trapping pest species of moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

BACKGROUND: Phenylacetaldehyde is a flower volatile and attractant for many nectar‐seeking moths. Acetic acid is a microbial fermentation product that is present in insect sweet baits. It is weakly attractive to some moths and other insects, but can be additive or synergistic with other compounds to make more powerful insect lures. RESULTS: Acetic acid and phenylacetaldehyde presented together in traps made a stronger lure than either chemical alone for moths of the alfalfa looper Autographa californica (Speyer) and the armyworm Spodoptera albula (Walker). However, this combination of chemicals reduced captures of the cabbage looper moth Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), the silver Y moth Autographa gamma (L.), MacDunnoughia confusa (Stephens) and the soybean looper moth Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) by comparison with phenylacetaldehyde alone. CONCLUSION: These results indicate both positive and negative interactions of acetic acid, a sugar fermentation odor cue, and phenylacetaldehyde, a floral scent cue, in eliciting orientation responses of moths. This research provides a new two‐component lure for the alfalfa looper A. californica and for the armyworm S. albula for potential use in pest management. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

Optical brightener M2R destroys the peritrophic membrane of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae

Observations under an environmental scanning electron microscope showed that the peritrophic membrane (PM) of Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) was smooth without pores, but there were many pores and slits in the PM of larvae fed with 10 g L(-1) optical brightener Calcofluor white M2R. After incubation of S. exigua PM in vitro with 10 g L(-1) M2R, a significant amount of proteins was released from the PM structure. M2R disrupted the structure of larval PM, resulting in greatly increased permeability and increased larval susceptibility to Syngrapha falcifera multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus infection. Continuous feeding of larvae on a diet treated with a 10 g L(-1) M2R solution significantly retarded larval development and resulted in high mortality. The destructive effect of M2R on PM was transient and reversible, depending on the presence of M2R within the midgut.