Environmental Entomology (1988) 17, 852-854

G.H. McKibben, M.J. Grodowitz and E.J. Villavaso (1988)
Comparison of flight ability of native and two laboratory-reared strains of boll weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on a flight mill
Environmental Entomology 17 (5), 852-854
Abstract: Native boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were compared to two laboratory-reared strains, NEVIE (reared for 20 generations) and GAST (reared for >400 generations) in terms of number of flights, resting time before flight (preflight), flight distance, flight duration, and flight speed. Native weevils did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) from the laboratory-reared strains in total number of flights and the resting time before a given flight. Overall mean number of flights and resting time before a given flight were 7.7 ± 0.9 and 20.6 ± 1.1 min, respectively, ±SD. However, native weevils had significantly (P < 0.05) greater flight distances, flight durations (>2 times), and flight speeds (1.2 times) for the first flight than did the laboratory-reared strains. Flight ability was uniform between the laboratory strains but was dynamic for native weevils, which displayed overall greater flight ability. Native weevils exhibited >2 times higher flight distances, >3 times higher flight durations, and only 1.1 times higher flight speeds for their first flight than for the remaining five flights. Native females tended to fly farther and longer than their laboratory-reared counterparts.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Michael J. Grodowitz

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
rearing/culturing/mass production

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anthonomus grandis