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The analysis of flight paths of male Egyptian cotton leafworm moths, Spodoptera littoralis , to a sex pheromone source in the field
Author(s) -
MURLIS J.,
BETTANY B. W.,
KELLEY J.,
MARTIN L.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
physiological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1365-3032
pISSN - 0307-6962
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3032.1982.tb00319.x
Subject(s) - spodoptera littoralis , noctuidae , biology , wind speed , pheromone , sex pheromone , lepidoptera genitalia , ecology , botany , meteorology , physics
. The flight of male Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) (Noctuidae) towards a pheromone source was recorded during the early part of the night using a cine camera and an image intensifier. The cine films were analysed frame by frame to produce flight tracks from which it was possible to calculate the mean advance rate of moths towards the pheromone source and their projected ground speed, for a series of positions downwind of the source. As wind speed was measured the moth's air speed was also estimated. The moths compensated for changes in wind speed by varying their air speed, hence maintaining a ground speed independent of wind speed. The ground speed itself was found to decrease as moths flew closer to the pheromone source.