Laboratory evaluation of the flight ability of female Autographa nigrisigna (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), measured by actograph and flight mill.

Autographa nigrisigna (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is the target species of the mating disruptant for vegetables, Confuser V. However, emergence of A. nigrisigna does not decrease in the Confuser V treated vegetable fields. As one of the reasons for this phenomenon, migration of mated females into the Confuser V treated area were considered. Thus, we studied the flight ability of female A. nigrisigna by using computer-interfaced actograph and flight mill devices. Flight measurements for mated and unmated individuals 4- to 6-d-old were recorded for 24 h. The results of the actograph assay revealed that mated females moved more actively than unmated females, possibly because of their oviposition behavior. Both the flight duration and flight range, which were measured by the flight mill device, decreased continuously with age and did not show a significant difference between mated and unmated females through the ages from 4 to 6 d. This result indicates that mating status did not directly affect the flight duration or range. From our experiments, it was suggested that females maintain physical energy after mating at the same level as before mating and then mated females locomote more actively around the host plants for oviposition. These speculations are discussed in relation to the control of A. nigrisigna by mating disruption.