Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T02:32:21.224Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

FACTORS AFFECTING MORTALITY OF THE EUROPEAN CORN BORER, OSTRINIA NUBILALIS (HÜBNER), IN ALBERTA

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Dennis A. Lee
Dennis A. Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E3
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A combination of laboratory and field trials, from 1983 to 1985, were used to determine mortality factors affecting all life stages of Alberta populations of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), feeding on corn. The resulting life table demonstrated that greatest mortality occurred during the first and second larval instars (62.2%), when mature larvae are in diapause (69.5%), and from moth migration and loss in reproductive potential (70.3%). Stages where mortality was slight included the egg stage (11.7%), non-diapausing third- to fifth-instar larvae (2%), and pupae (10.4%).

Laboratory trials showed that greater egg mortality occurred at relative humidities (RH) of 35 and 55% than at a RH of 75%. In the field, egg parasitism was nil, predation of early-instar larvae (5.2%) and diapausing larvae (6%) was low, and parasitoids were scarce (emerging from ca. 2% of pupae). Sustained periods of hot, dry weather with high moisture stress were related to mortality of both eggs and early-instar larvae. Death of early-instar larvae also was related to periods of rainy weather with low evaporation. The 64% non-diapause larval mortality was much lower than that reported elsewhere. The dramatic increase in the corn borer since its recent introduction to Alberta may be due to a lack of natural enemies, and because only non-resistant corn hybrids are grown.

Résumé

On a utilisé des tests de laboratoire et de terrain entre 1983 et 1985 pour déterminer les facteurs de mortalité affectant tous les stades de populations albertaines de la pyrale du maïs, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), sur le maïs. La table de survie obtenue a montré que la majeure partie de la mortalité survenait durant les premier et deuxième stades larvaires (62,2%), durant la diapause des larves matures (69,5%), et par perte de potentiel reproducteur et migration des adultes (70,3%). Les stades avec faible mortalité étaient le stade oeuf (11,7%), les larves non-diapausantes des stades trois à cinq (2%), et les pupes (10,4%).

Les testes de laboratoire ont montré qu’une plus forte mortalité des oeufs survenait aux indices d’humidité relative (RH) de 35 et 55% qu’à 75% RH. Sur le terrain, le parasitisme des oeufs était nul, la prédation des jeunes larves était faible, et le parasitisme rare (environ 2% des pupes). On a pu relier la mortalité des oeufs et des jeunes larves aux périodes de temps chaud et sec avec un stress hydrique important. La mortalité des jeunes larves a aussi été reliée au temps pluvieux avec une évaporation faible. La mortalité de 64% des larves non-diapausantes est beaucoup plus faible que rapporté ailleurs. L’augmentation dramatique de la pyrale depuis son entrée récente en Alberta est possiblement due à l’absence d’ennemis naturels, et à l’utilisation d’hybrides de maïs non-résistants.

Type
Articles
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 120 , Issue 10 , October 1988 , pp. 841 - 853
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alberta Corn Committee. 1982. Corn production and utilization in Alberta. Alberta Agriculture Agdex 11/20–1. Edmonton, Alberta. 82 pp.Google Scholar
Andreadis, T.G. 1982. Current status of imported and native parasites of the European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Connecticut. J. econ. Ent. 75: 626–629.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barber, G.W. 1926. Some factors responsible for the decrease of the European corn borer in New England during 1923 and 1924. Ecology 7(2): 143–162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Barlow, C.A. 1971. Key factors in the population dynamics of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hbn.). Proc. 13th Int. Congr. Ent., Moscow, 1968 1: 472–473.Google Scholar
Beck, S.D. 1967. Water intake and the termination of diapause in the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis. J. Insect. Physiol. 13: 739–750.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brindley, T.A., and Dicke, F.F.. 1963. Significant developments in European corn borer research. Annu. Rev. Ent. 8: 155–176.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brindley, T.A., Sparks, A.N., Showers, W.B., and Guthrie, W.D.. 1975. Recent research advances on the European corn borer in North America. Annu. Rev. Ent. 20: 221–239.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Caesar, L. 1925. Mortality of the larvae of the European corn borer (Pyrausta nubilalis Hubn.) in the early instars in 1924. Annu. Rep. ent. Soc. Ont. 55: 50–52.Google Scholar
Caesar, L. 1926. Mortality of the European corn borer (Pyrausta nubilalis (Hubn.)) adults and larvae. Annu. Rep. ent. Soc. Ont. 56: 72–75.Google Scholar
Caffrey, D.J., and Worthley, L.H.. 1927. A progress report on the investigations of the European corn borer. U.S. Dep. Agric. Bull. 1476. 155 pp.Google Scholar
Chiang, H.C., and Hodson, A.C.. 1972. Population fluctuations of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, at Waseca, Minnesota, 1948–70. Environ. Ent. 1: 7–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frazer, B.D., and Gilbert, N.. 1976. Coccinelids and aphids. J. ent. Soc. Brit. Col. 73: 33–56.Google Scholar
Fry, R.D. 1972. Evaluation of insect predation on European corn borer in North Dakota. Environ. Ent. 1: 535–536.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hodgson, B.E. 1928. The host plants of the European corn borer in New England. U.S. Dep. Agric. Tech. Bull. 77. 63 pp.Google Scholar
Huber, L.L., Neiswander, C.R., and Salter, R.M.. 1928. The European corn borer and its environment. Ohio Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. 429. 196 pp.Google Scholar
Hudon, M., and Chiang, M.S.. 1977. Influence of resistant and susceptible maize inbred lines on the biology of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), after natural overwintering conditions in southwestern Quebec. Can. Ent. 109: 931–942.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hudon, M., and Leroux, E.J.. 1961. Variation between samples of immature stages, and of mortalities from some factors, of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on sweet corn in Quebec. Can. Ent. 93: 867–888.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, D.A. 1986. Phenology, life history and habitat selection of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, in Alberta. M.Sc. thesis, University of Alberta, Edmonton. 212 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, D.A. 1988. Moth density and oviposition patterns of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in Alberta. Environ. Ent. 17(2): 220–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, D.A., and Spence, J.R.. 1986. Phenology of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, in Alberta. Can. Ent. 118: 943–956.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, D.A., and Spence, J.R.. 1987 a. Developmental adaptation of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis Hübner) in Alberta. Can. Ent. 119: 371–380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, D.A., and Spence, J.R.. 1987 b. Reproductive patterns of the European corn borer (Ostrinia nubilalis) in Alberta. Can. J. Zool. 65: 1733–1740.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leroux, E.J., Paradis, R.O., and Hudon, M.. 1963. Major mortality factors in the population dynamics of the eye-spotted bud-moth, the pistol casebearer, the fruit-tree leaf roller, and the European corn borer in Quebec. Mem. ent. Soc. Can. 32. 102 pp.Google Scholar
Lilly, C.E., and Harper, A.M.. 1982. Status of the European corn borer in Alberta. pp. 12–13 in Sear, L.J.L., Krogman, K.K., and Atkinson, T.G. (Eds.), Research Highlights—1981. Agric. Can. Res. Stn., Lethbridge, Alta. 86 pp.Google Scholar
Marshall, J. 1926. The larval mortality of the European corn borer in 1926. Annu. Rep. ent. Soc. Ont. 57: 33–34.Google Scholar
Nordin, J.H., Chui, Z.C., and Yin, C.M.. 1984. Cold-induced glycerol accumulation by Ostrinia nubilalis larvae is developmentally regulated. J. Insect Physiol. 30: 563–566.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Painter, R.H., and Ficht, G.A.. 1924. A field study of the reduction of European corn borer larvae in standing corn. Annu. Rep. ent. Soc. Ont. 55: 53–54.Google Scholar
Romig, R.F., Mason, C.E., and Burbutis, P.P.. 1985. Parasitism of European corn borer by Lydella thompsoni (Diptera: Tachinidae) and Macrocentrus grandii (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in southeast Pennsylvania and Delaware. Ent. News 96(3): 121–128.Google Scholar
Sappington, T.W., and Showers, W.B.. 1983. Effects of precipitation and wind on populations of adult European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae). Environ. Ent. 12: 1193–1196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Showers, W.B., deRozari, M.B., Reed, G.L., and Shaw, R.H.. 1978. Temperature-related climatic effects on survivorship of the European corn borer. Environ. Ent. 7: 717–723.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Siegel, J.P., Maddox, J.V., and Ruesink, W.G.. 1987. Suvivorship of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Central Illinois. Environ. Ent. 16: 1071–1075.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Soehngen, U., Tellier, A., and Collard, N.. 1984. European corn borer survey. p. 66 in Alberta Hort. Res. Center Annu. Rep. 92 pp.Google Scholar
Southwood, T.R.E. 1966. Ecological Methods with Particular Reference to the Study of Insect Populations. Methuen, London. 391 pp.Google Scholar
Sparks, A.N., Chiang, H.C., Burkhardt, C.C.. Fairchild, M.L., and Weekman, G.T.. 1966. Evaluation of the influence of predation on corn borer populations. J. econ. Ent. 59: 104–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stirrett, G.M. 1930. Preliminary observations on the winter mortality of the larvae of the European corn borer in Ontario and Quebec. Annu. Rep. ent. Soc. Ont. 60: 48–52.Google Scholar
Tingey, W.M., Gracen, V.E., and Scriber, J.M.. 1975. European corn borer-resistant maize genotypes. N.Y. Food Life Sci. Quart. 8(3): 3–7.Google Scholar
Winston, P.W., and Bates, D.H.. 1960. Saturated solutions for the control of humidity in biological research. Ecology 41: 232–237.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wressel, H.B. 1973. The role of parasites in the control of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), in southwestern Ontario. Can. Ent. 105: 553–557.CrossRefGoogle Scholar