Analysis of Environmental Factors Affecting the Reproductive and Flight Ability of the Melon Fly, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett (Diptera; Tephritidae). I. Effect of Adult Food, Copulation and Oviposition

Abstract

Effect of adult food and physiological status of adult melon flies, Dacus cucurbitae Coquillett, On the flight ability was studied. Flight duration of the flies decreased remarkably as the starva-tion period increased. These phenomena were more conspicuous for the 15 and 30 days old flies than for the 5 days old ones. These results suggest that the flies should search and take food every time. No adverse effect of starvation was observed on the flight velocity. Flight duration was the longest when the ratio of protein hydrolysate and sugar in adult food was 1: 5 and it decreased with the content of protein hydrolysate. These results show that protein hydrolysate is an important element for the flight ability of the melon fly. Flight duration in non-copulated 15 and 30 days old female was longer than that in the copulated ones. However, such differences were not observed in male flies. Sexual difference in the flight performance seems to be natural since females mate a few times but males mate many times through out their lifespan. Flight duration of flies which had oviposited was shorter than that of flies which had not oviposited, suggesting that the dispersion ability of the melon fly may increase after the oviposition. © 1987, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.