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Larvae of Dendrolimus punctatus overwinter in diapause. In the Yangtze River Region, this species is multivoltine at altitudes below 400 m and univoltine above 700 m a.s.l. The photoperiodic response of the univoltine population, investigated at five day lengths (11.5, 12.5, 13.5, 14.5 and 15.5 h) at 27 + 1°C, indicates that D. punctatus is a long-day species. Diapause was induced in 95-100% of the individuals by three short photophases (11.5-13.5 h), while diapause incidence decreased steeply with increase in day length down to 10% at 15.5 h. The critical daylength (CDL = day length resulting in a 50% incidence of diapause) is 14.6 h. When induced by critical or longer photophases (14.5 and 15.5 h), diapause terminated spontaneously, without any change in photoperiod or temperature. Diapause induced at shorter photophases was more intense and not terminated without activation by diapause averting conditions. Larvae in diapause lived for up to 190 d when kept under a 11.5 h photophase during which they remained sensitive to the photoperiodic signal. In transfer experiments, diapause was terminated after an increase in photoperiod, even if it was within the range of diapause inducing photoperiods: from 11.5 h to 13.5 h. This study revealed that the univoltine hill dwelling population of D. punctatus undergoes a facultative diapause. Although potentially multivoltine they are univoltine because of the low temperatures at that altitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pine caterpillar, Dendrolimus tabulaeformis Tsai et Liu, is a major pine pest in North China. The larvae enter diapause in the third or fourth instar before winter. Supercooling points (SCP) and cold hardiness of the diapausing larvae were investigated and compared in non-acclimated, acclimated and de-acclimated larvae. A bimodal frequency distribution was observed with a break point of -14°C in the SCP. Larvae in the low group (LG, SCP ≤ -14°C) were more cold tolerant with lower lethal temperatures than those in the high group (HG, SCP > -14°C). This bimodality occurred in three patterns, LG (> 60% of individuals in LG), LG-HG (< 60% of individuals in LG and HG) and HG (> 60% of individuals in HG), in response to cold acclimation and de-acclimation. The cold hardiness was ranked as: LG > LG-HG > HG pattern. Cold hardiness was enhanced by an increase in concentrations of trehalose, galactose, glucose and mannose in the haemolymph as well as by decrease in metabolism after cold acclimation, but was lost after de-acclimation. Loss of cold hardiness was correlated with decrease in sugars and increase in metabolic rate. In conclusion, the species is a chill tolerant insect, adopting the strategy of depressing SCP through accumulation of low molecular weight sugars in the haemolymph, concomitant with metabolic depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]