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Evaluation of the Potential Flight Ability of the Casuarina Moth, Lymantria xylina (Lepidoptera: Erebidae)

Authors :
Jifeng Zhang
Baode Wang
Haojie Ren
Jianing Chen
Junnan Li
Yuanyuan Sun
Yonghong Cui
Rong Wang
Mengxia Liu
Feiping Zhang
Source :
Insects, Vol 15, Iss 7, p 506 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

Lymantria xylina Swinhoe (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) is a potentially invasive pest, similar to Lymantria dispar asiatica Vnukovskij and Lymantria dispar japonica Motschulsky (Lepidoptera: Erebidae). To evaluate its potential for spread and flight distance related to egg deposition on vessels at ports, we employed a flight mill to assess the flight capabilities of its adults under varying conditions. Our findings revealed that females primarily flew short distances and ceased flying after 3:00 AM, whereas males covered much longer distances throughout the day. Sex, age, and flight duration significantly influenced flight ability. Females exhibited weaker flight capability than males, and their ability declined with increasing age or flight duration. Notably, 1-day-old moths displayed the strongest flight ability, with average flight distances of up to 3.975 km for females and 8.441 km for males. By the fifth day, females no longer flew, and males experienced reduced flight ability. After continuous hanging for 16 h, females lost most of their flight capacity, while males remained capable of flight even after 32 h. Additionally, female flight ability decreased significantly after mating, possibly due to factors such as egg-carrying capacity, weight, and load ratio. This study provides a foundation for assessing the risk of long-distance dispersal of L. xylina via ocean-going freighters, considering female moths’ phototactic flight and oviposition.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
15070506 and 20754450
Volume :
15
Issue :
7
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Insects
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.56ced1ba6a4ad4b119407eed013e77
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/insects15070506