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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 July 2009
The dispersal and seasonal flight activity of the oak stem Phylloxerid (Moritziella corticalis (Kalt.)) was studied at three localities in southern England by means of field observations and by sticky trap and suction trap catches. Wind displacement of first-instar crawlers occurred mainly during the winter months (76.2%) when this stage of the life-cycle is most active and abundant. No desiccation of these larvae was observed. The flight period of the sexuparae extends from the end of July to the end of October, and in most years three peaks of flight activity were discernible. A succession of days with low temperatures sometimes prevented migration, but large catches usually followed these low temperature spells. Analysis has shown that the temperature threshold for flight was about 17·2°C. Individuals flying at the start of the flight period were significantly smaller than those flying at the end of the season, possibly because factors affecting the host-plant may also effect changes in breeding and development of the insect. In a frost gradient apparatus, the overwintering first-instar larvae of M. corticalis were cold hardy, the LT30 being -23·7°C.