Evidence for facultative migratory flight behavior in Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) in India

A - Papers appearing in refereed journals

Jyothi, P., Aralimarad, P., Wali, V., Dave, S., Bheemanna, M., Ashoka, J., Shivayogiyappa, P., Lim, K. S., Chapman, J. W. and Sane, S. P. 2021. Evidence for facultative migratory flight behavior in Helicoverpa armigera (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) in India. PLOS ONE. 16 (1), p. e0245665. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.024566

AuthorsJyothi, P., Aralimarad, P., Wali, V., Dave, S., Bheemanna, M., Ashoka, J., Shivayogiyappa, P., Lim, K. S., Chapman, J. W. and Sane, S. P.
Abstract

Despite its deleterious impact on farming and agriculture, the physiology and energetics of insect migration is poorly understood due to our inability to track their individual movements in the field. Many insects, e.g. monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus (L.), are facultative migrants. Hence, it is important to establish whether specific insect populations in particular areas migrate. The polyphagous insect, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), is especially interesting in this regard due to its impact on a variety of crops. Here, we used a laboratory based flight mill assay to show that Helicoverpa armigera populations clearly demonstrate facultative migration in South India. Based on various flight parameters, we categorized male and female moths as long, medium or short distance fliers. A significant proportion of moths exhibited long-distance flight behaviour covering more than 10 km in a single night, averaging about 8 flight hours constituting 61% flight time in the test period. The maximum and average flight speeds of these long fliers were greater than in the other categories. Flight activity across sexes also varied; male moths exhibited better performance than female moths. Wing morphometric parameters including forewing length, wing loading, and wing aspect ratio were key in influencing long-distance flight. Whereas forewing length positively correlated with flight distance and duration, wing loading was negatively correlated.

Year of Publication2021
JournalPLOS ONE
Journal citation16 (1), p. e0245665
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.024566
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
FunderBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
Publisher's version
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online22 Jan 2021
Publication process dates
Accepted05 Jan 2021
PublisherPublic Library of Science (PLOS)
ISSN1932-6203

Permalink - https://repository.rothamsted.ac.uk/item/98659/evidence-for-facultative-migratory-flight-behavior-in-helicoverpa-armigera-noctuidae-lepidoptera-in-india

226 total views
74 total downloads
0 views this month
1 downloads this month
Download files as zip