Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Species Plus Feeding Observations of Some Moths Common to Iowa William Hurston Hendrix III Iowa State University
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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1990 Migration and behavioral studies of two adult noctuid (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) species plus feeding observations of some moths common to Iowa William Hurston Hendrix III Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Botany Commons, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, and the Entomology Commons Recommended Citation Hendrix, William Hurston III, "Migration and behavioral studies of two adult noctuid (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) species plus feeding observations of some moths common to Iowa " (1990). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 9373. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/9373 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. 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University Microfilms International A Bell & Howell Information Company 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 USA 313/761-4700 800/521-0600 Order Number 9100440 Migration and behavioral studies of two adult noctuid (Lepidoptera:Noctuidae) species plus feeding observations of some moths common to Iowa Hendrix, William Hurston, III, Ph.D. Iowa State University, 1990 UMI 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Migration and behavioral studies of two adult noctuid (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) species plus feeding observations of some moths common to Iowa by William Hurston Hendrix, III A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Entomology Approved: Signature was redacted for privacy. Signature was redacted for privacy. Signature was redacted for privacy. Foî^he Graduate College Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 1990 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 LITERATURE REVIEW 4 Noctuid Adult Eclosion 4 Feeding Behavior 8 Feeding studies in the field 8 Feeding studies in the laboratory 30 Noctuid Migration 30 Migratory and life history strategies 30 Case histories and techniques 32 Pollen analysis 58 PART I. DAILY TIMING OF ADULT ECLOSION FOR BLACK 63 CUTWORM, AGROTIS IPSILON (HUFNAGEL), AND ARMYWORM, PSEUDALETIA UNIPUNCTA (HAWORTH) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) INTRODUCTION 64 MATERIALS AND METHODS 67 RESULTS 69 DISCUSSION 99 ill PART II. POSTECLOSION FEEDING OF LABORATORY REARED 102 ADULT ARMYWORM, PSEUDALETIA UNIPUNCTA (HAWORTH), AND BLACK CUTWORM, AGROTIS IPSILON (HUFNAGEL) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) INTRODUCTION 103 MATERIALS AND METHODS 105 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 107 PART III. NOCTURNAL FEEDING BEHAVIOR OF COMMON ADULT 115 MOTHS IN IOWA INTRODUCTION 116 MATERIALS AND METHODS 121 RESULTS 123 Moth Feeding Activity 123 Feeding on Specific Plants 207 Pollen Carried by the Insects 221 DISCUSSION 235 iv PART IV. TRACING BLACK CUTWORM, AGROTIS IPSILON 238 (HUFNAGEL), AND ARMYWORM, PSEUDALETIA UNIPUNCTA (HAWORTH) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE), MIGRATION USING POLLEN ANALYSIS INTRODUCTION 239 MATERIALS AND METHODS 242 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 243 SUMMARY 249 LITERATURE CITED 253 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 275 1 INTRODUCTION Many North American crops are regularly attacked by large numbers of economically important noctuid (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) species. These insects are known to be highly mobile (see McNeil 1987), expanding their breeding range far beyond their overwintering areas. In Iowa, two of the most important noctuids are the armyworm, Pseudaletia imipuncta (Haworth) and the black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel). Both species cause sporadic economic damage to corn and are thought to be migratory in nature (e.g., McNeil 1987, Showers et al. 1989b). Eclosion periodicity can be related to the migratory potential of the black cutworm and armyworm. Daily eclosion is important in understanding the activity of moths and their availability for flight. The moths could emerge during the day and presumably remain inactive until the next night. Conversely, the moths might emerge early in the evening and be able to feed or fly the first evening. In a laboratory colony of black cutworm, emergence was found to peak at 2200 hr (Nasr and Naguib 1963). The effect of long-term rearing and the effect of cold storage, however, has not been examined. To maintain a colony and provide sufficient numbers of insects for a large-scale adult mark-release-recapture program, moths must routinely be kept in cold storage. Although laboratory colonies are normally replaced each year to maintain genetic vigor, rearing mishaps can occur, prohibiting the maintaining and expansion of these new colonies. The effects of cold storage and colony 2 age, therefore, would be of concern if these two conditions disrupted daily eclosion of moths. Feeding behavior of newly emerged moths can provide information on ovipositional and migratory ability of moths. If a female is provided a nectar meal, she can produce more eggs (Nuttycombe 1930). The European corn borer, OstrinLa nubilalis (Hubner), maintains egg weights if fed a honey-water solution (Miller 1988). An adult food source can also provide energy for newly emerged moths. One of the least studied behaviors is feeding of moths in the field. Several large treatises have been published (e.g., Robertson 1929, Nuttycombe 1930, Brantjes and Leemans 1976). Most records, however, are widely scattered in the literature and none could be found concerning feeding in Iowa. Although migration is thought to play a part in the insect's population dynamics, little empirical evidence has been provided concerning their movement. Showers et al. (1989a) and Showers et al. (1989b) provided such evidence with mark-release-recapture studies of black cutworm. Movement was recorded from release sites in Texas and Louisiana to trap locations in Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa. The long- range dispersal was tracked using wind trajectory analysis, providing direct evidence for meteorologically driven migration. Direct evidence for migration was provided in another manner (Hendrix et al. 1987). The authors examined Arkansas collected corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), for pollen. By identifying exotic pollens and back-tracking the location of these pollens, evidence was provided for long-distance movement in 3 this species. This method, however, has not been used for the black cutworm or the armyworm. Successful use of this technique would provide empirical information concerning the migratory ability of the armyworm and confirm Showers et al. (1989a, 1989b) findings with the black cutworm. Further, it would help elucidate the site of origin of these naturally marked immigrants. The objectives of this study are fourfold. The first is to examine the eclosion periodicity in both the daily emergence rhythms and the population cycle and the impact of cold storage and long-term laboratory rearing on these parameters. The second objective is to examine the posteclosion feeding of adult armyworm and black cutworm to elucidate the timing posteclosion of this feeding. The third objective is to collect information on adult moth feeding on common Iowa plants throughout the season. The final objective of this research is to determine if pollen analysis can be used to trace the long-distance migration of the black cutworm and armyworm. Such evidence would provide critical details of the overwintering sites and provide the first direct evidence for long distance migration of armyworm. In total, this research provides needed information of important adult behavior for two Iowa pest species. 4 LITERATURE REVIEW Noctuid Adult Eclosion Time of emergence is critical for all insects. Daily rhythms are found in most species. These rhythms synchronize the individual to the population. Often discrete windows of emergence are observed and few pupae emerge outside this window. Records are scarce for this type of behavior, and even more so for the effects laboratory conditions have on the population.