Effect of Temperature on the Timing of Calling of the Yellow Peach Moth, Congethes punctiferalis (GUENÉE) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Abstract

Under a photoregime of 15L-9D and DD (weak red light) the calling rhythm of the yellow peach moth was investigated at the three different temperatures. The calling rhythm freeran under the DD regime and its period (τ) showed few variations at the three temperatures (17, 22, 27°C). The calling time (φ_r) was delayed when the temperature was high. Under the 15L (22°C)-9D(17°C) regime, φ_r was intermediate between φ_r under the 15L(22°C)-9D(22°C) regime and that under the 15L(17°C)-9D(17°C). When the temperature was changed stepwise (22°C→17°C or 17°C→22°C) in the L→D and/or D→L transition, two different results were obtained. One is that φ_r was affected only by the temperature change in the L→D transition and not by the previous temperature conditions. The other is that φ_r was affected by the previous temperature change in the D→L transition or temperature conditions under the previous photoperiod as well as by the temperature change in the L→D transition. Based on these results, the processes involved in the photoperiod and darkperiod were discussed. When the L→D transition was advanced by 3hr (17°C) or 6hr (17°C, 27°C) under the 15L-9D photoregime, the calling time φ_r was advanced by 2.6hr and 5.6hr at 17°C and only by 2.5hr at 27°C, respectively. This phenomenon seemed to be associated with rapid termination of the calling process running in the photoperiod (P_L) at 17°C rather than at 27°C. Based on these results, the possible mechanism of temperature compensation for τ was also discussed.