Effect of Temperature and Photoperiod on the Larval Development and Diapause Induction in the Onion Fly, Hylemya antiqua Meigen (Diptera: Anthomyiidae

Abstract

Larvae of the onion fly, Hylemya antiqua were reared under several combinations of temperatures (10-22°C) and photoperiods (16L-8D and 12L-12D) to determine the effect of these factors on the larval development and diapause induction. Photoperiod little affected the developmental zero temperature for larval development (4.3°C under 16L-8D, and 4.6°C under 12L-12D), whereas the total effective temperature necessary for such development was a little greater in the short day (257 day-degrees under 16L-8D, and 278 daydegrees under 12L-12D). When pupae obtained from different conditions were kept at 25°C, 16L-8D, most flies emerged 9–18 days after pupation, but some were observed to emerge 40–60 days after pupation. This latter was particularly common in cultures at the lower temperatures and short photoperiod. We regarded the individuals emerging within 20 days after pupation as “non-diapausing” and the rest as “diapausing”. The temperature inducing diapause in 50% of individuals was found to be significantly affected by photoperiod: 14.0°C under 16L-8D, and 18.5°C under 12L-12D. © 1987, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.