Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T14:11:13.355Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Reproductive behaviour of the tossa jute defoliator, Acraea terpsicore (L.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Yeboa A. Duodu
Affiliation:
Crops Research Institute, P.O. Box 3785, Kumasi, Ghana
Benard W. L. Lawson
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
Get access

Abstract

Some aspects of the reproductive behaviour of the tossa jute defoliator, Acraea terpsicore (L.), were studied. The insect mated only once. A horny material was deposited on the female's genital aperture after mating. Mating began on the day of emergence and lasted for 7 days on 10% sucrose solution. Maximum number of matings was on the third day after emergence. Within the day, over 95% of matings was between 0600 and 1800 hr with a peak between 1200 and 1800 hr. Eggs were also laid mainly between 0600 and 1800 hr during the day with a peak between 1500 and 1800 hr. Oviposition which started on the day of emergence lasted for 7 days on 10% sucrose with a peak on the second day. The presence of the male, after mating had occurred, did not significantly affect the number of eggs laid. Adults emerged between 0600 and 1800 hr but mostly before mid-day. Peak emergence for males occurred earlier than that for females. Behavioural activities in courtship, mating, oviposition, and adult emergence, are described.

Résumé

Des aspects du comportment reproducteur du tossa jute défoliant Acraea terpsicore (L.) ont été étudies. L'insecte accouple à une seule fois. Une matière cornée a été deposée sur le genital femelle orifice après avoir accouplé. L' accouplement a commencé le même jour de l'emergence et l'emergence et a duré sept jour sur 10% de la solution saccharose. Les maximums nombres des accouplements etaient le troisième jour apres l'émergence. Pour la journée il y aura plus de 95% des accouplement entre 0600 et 1800h avec des heures de pointe, entre 1200 et 1800h. Pendant la journée les oeufs out été pondues entre 0600 et 1800h avec les heures de pointe entre 1500 et 1800h. L'oviposition qui a commencé la même jour de l'émergence a duré sept jours sur 10% de saccharose avec les heures de pointe dans le jour suivant La présence du maie après l'accouplement a eu lieu n'a pas eu un effet considerable sur le nombre des oeufs pondues. Pour la plupart les adultes ont émergé entre 0600 et 1800h avant midi. L'heure de pointe d'émergence pour les males a lieu plus tot que celle des femelles. L'émergence de pattern de comportement des activities d'un couple d'amoureux, l'accouplement, l'oviposition et l'adulte ont été décrits.

Type
Research Articles
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1989

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

REFERENCES

Burns, J.M. (1968) Mating frequency in natural populations of skippers and butterflies as determined by spermatopore counts. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 61, 852859.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carpenter, G.D.H. (1927) Pairs of Danaida chrysippus L. and of three Acraeinae species, taken in coitu at Zappi, Uganda. Proc. Entomol. Soc. London 2, 6871.Google Scholar
Caswell, G.H. (1962) Agricultural Entomology in the Tropics. Edward Arnold Ltd., London.Google Scholar
Duodu, Y.A. (1983) Investigations into the insect pests of bast fibres in Ghana. 2. Pests of jute, Corchorus capsularis and C. olitorius. African J. Plant Prot. 2, 187193.Google Scholar
Duodu, Y.A. and Boakye, D.A. (1983) Studies on the biology of the adult Selepa docilis Butler (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), a defoliator of the eggplant in Ghana. Bull, de L'I.F A.N. 45 (series A), 297307.Google Scholar
Duodu, Y.A. and Lawson, B.W.L. (1983) Natural enemies of Acraea terpsicore (Lep.: Nymphalidae) in Ghana, with particular reference to the parasite Charops diversipes (Hym.: Ichneumonidae). Entomophaga 28, 271276.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hargreaves, H. (1921) Report of the Government Entomologist for 1st April to 31st December, 1920. pp 4648; In Uganda Department of Agriculture Annual Report.Google Scholar
Henneberry, T.J. and Clayton, T.E. (1985) Tobacco budworm moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Effect of time of emergence, male age, and frequency of mating on sperm transfer and egg viability. J. Econ. Entomol. 78, 379382.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Irvine, F.R. (1961) Woody Plants of West Africa with Special Reference to their Uses. Oxford Univ. Press, London.Google Scholar
Jones, R.E. (1977) Movement patterns and egg production in cabbage butterflies. J. Anim. Ecol. 46, 195212.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lawson, B.W.L. and Duodu, Y.A. (1984) Life history and seasonal occurrence of the tossa jute defoliator, Acraea terpsicore (L) (Lep., Nymphalidae) in Ghana. Entomologist's Monthly Magazine 120, 4753.Google Scholar
Leppla, N.C., Ashley, T.R., Guy, R.H. and Butler, G.D. (1977) Laboratory life history of the velvetbean caterpillar. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 70, 217220.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lingren, P.D., Greene, G.L., Davis, D.R., Baumhover, A.H. and Henneberry, T.J. (1977) Nocturnal behaviour of four Lepidopteran pests that attack tobacco and other crops. Ann. Entomol. Soc.Am. 70, 161167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, R.L. and Hibbs, E.T. (1963) Distribution of eggs of the potato leafhopper, Empoascafabae on Solanum plants. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 56, 737740.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Owen, D.F. (1971) Tropical Butterflies. The Ecology and Behaviour of Butterflies in the Tropics with Special Reference to African Species. Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Parrella, M.P. and Kok, L.T. (1978) Bionomics of Oidaematophorus monodactylus on hedge bindweed in southwestern Virginia. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 71, 14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sharifi, S. and Zarea, N. (1970) Biology of the citrus butterfly, Papilio demoleus demoleus (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 63, 12111213.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shields, O. and Emmel, J.F. (1973) A review of carrying pair behaviour and mating times in butterflies (Lepidoptera). J. Res. Lep.. 12, 2564.Google Scholar
Solomon, J.D. and Neel, W.W. (1973) Mating behaviour in the carpenterworm moth, Prionoxystus robiniae (Lepidoptera: Cossidae). Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 66, 312314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Son, G. (1963) The butterflies of Southern Africa (Nymphalidae: Acraeinae), Part III. Transvaal Museum Memoir 14, 1130.Google Scholar
Wigglesworth, V.B. (1972) The Principles of Insect Physiology, 7th edition. Chapman and Hall Ltd., London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar