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Mating disruption in Agrotis segetum monitored by harmonic radar

Svensson, Glenn LU ; Valeur, Peter LU ; Reynolds, D R ; Smith, A D ; Riley, J R ; Baker, T C ; Poppy, G M and Löfstedt, Christer LU (2001) In Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 101(2). p.111-121
Abstract
The long-range, pheromone-mediated, flight behaviour of male moths under natural and mating disruption conditions was monitored by means of harmonic radar. Individual male turnip moths, Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), tagged with radar transponders, were released and tracked in plots with or without disruptive doses of sex pheromone. In addition, male attraction to pheromone-baited traps and mating of calling females in treated and untreated plots was investigated. High doses of a four-component pheromone blend reduced trap catch by 79% and mating of females by 62% when compared with control plots in pre-radar experiments. Surprisingly, this effect was not associated with any pronounced... (More)
The long-range, pheromone-mediated, flight behaviour of male moths under natural and mating disruption conditions was monitored by means of harmonic radar. Individual male turnip moths, Agrotis segetum (Denis & Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), tagged with radar transponders, were released and tracked in plots with or without disruptive doses of sex pheromone. In addition, male attraction to pheromone-baited traps and mating of calling females in treated and untreated plots was investigated. High doses of a four-component pheromone blend reduced trap catch by 79% and mating of females by 62% when compared with control plots in pre-radar experiments. Surprisingly, this effect was not associated with any pronounced differences in flight behaviour of males between a treatment and a control plot as revealed by harmonic radar recordings. In total, 20 flight tracks from a control plot and 22 flight tracks from a treatment plot were analysed. Moths could be followed for up to 77 min, corresponding to a track length of 7350 m. Mean ground speed ranged from 0.7 m s1 to 5.4 m s1. There was a strong trend (P = 0.06) for a greater number of male orientations to traps from downwind in the control field compared to the treatment field. Many flight tracks were fragmented due to radar shadow. Advantages and constraints using harmonic radar to study the pheromone-mediated flight behaviour of nocturnal moths are discussed. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata
volume
101
issue
2
pages
111 - 121
publisher
Wiley
external identifiers
  • scopus:0035716724
ISSN
1570-7458
DOI
10.1046/j.1570-7458.2001.00896.x
project
Evolutionary mechanisms of pheromone divergence in Lepidoptera
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c1157dd3-fbbd-4b09-b904-1956bfd62890 (old id 149706)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 15:42:07
date last changed
2022-01-28 06:38:31
@article{c1157dd3-fbbd-4b09-b904-1956bfd62890,
  abstract     = {{The long-range, pheromone-mediated, flight behaviour of male moths under natural and mating disruption conditions was monitored by means of harmonic radar. Individual male turnip moths, <i>Agrotis segetum</i> (Denis &amp; Schiffermüller) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), tagged with radar transponders, were released and tracked in plots with or without disruptive doses of sex pheromone. In addition, male attraction to pheromone-baited traps and mating of calling females in treated and untreated plots was investigated. High doses of a four-component pheromone blend reduced trap catch by 79% and mating of females by 62% when compared with control plots in pre-radar experiments. Surprisingly, this effect was not associated with any pronounced differences in flight behaviour of males between a treatment and a control plot as revealed by harmonic radar recordings. In total, 20 flight tracks from a control plot and 22 flight tracks from a treatment plot were analysed. Moths could be followed for up to 77 min, corresponding to a track length of 7350 m. Mean ground speed ranged from 0.7 m s1 to 5.4 m s1. There was a strong trend (P = 0.06) for a greater number of male orientations to traps from downwind in the control field compared to the treatment field. Many flight tracks were fragmented due to radar shadow. Advantages and constraints using harmonic radar to study the pheromone-mediated flight behaviour of nocturnal moths are discussed.}},
  author       = {{Svensson, Glenn and Valeur, Peter and Reynolds, D R and Smith, A D and Riley, J R and Baker, T C and Poppy, G M and Löfstedt, Christer}},
  issn         = {{1570-7458}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{111--121}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley}},
  series       = {{Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata}},
  title        = {{Mating disruption in <i>Agrotis segetum</i> monitored by harmonic radar}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1570-7458.2001.00896.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1046/j.1570-7458.2001.00896.x}},
  volume       = {{101}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}