Mate preference and mating behavior of male Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infected with the sexually transmitted insect virus Hz-2V

Abstract

The affect of Hz-2V (a.k.a. gonad-specific virus) virus infection on the reproductive physiology and behavior of infected adult Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) males was examined. Virus-infected males responded and flew to calling healthy and infected females at about the same rate. Although infected males were slower in approaching healthy females and attempting to mate compared with healthy males, infected males did make sexual contacts with females that could serve to transmit virus. Unlike matings with healthy males, which result in the cessation of calling, females that had made sexual contact with infected males continued to exhibit calling behavior and were receptive to mates. Although calling behavior of both healthy and infected females was inhibited by injecting extracts of reproductive tissues from healthy males, extracts of reproductive tissues from infected males inhibited female calling to a lesser degree and for an additional night compared with extracts from healthy males. The results presented here further demonstrate the ability of Hz-2V to alter the physiology and behavior of infected insects in ways that could serve to facilitate virus transmission. © 2006 Entomological Society of America.