Sweet cherries, Prunus avium L., from the United States must be fumigated to control codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), before exporting them to Japan. However, the status of sweet cherry as a true host for codling moth has been debated because of the limited survival of the pest. Previously, laboratory methods have been developed to rear the codling moth on sweet ch...

Laboratory, greenhouse and field studies were conducted on Oomyzus sokolowskii Kurdjumov, a parasite of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), to judge its suitability for introduction in the field to control the plutellid. Oomyzus sokolowskii preferred the third and fourth instar diamondback moth larvae over fresh pupae for parasitization. It is thus a larval parasite. Within the range of...

High carbon dioxide atmospheres combined with high temperature were effective for controlling Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) pupae. Pupae were exposed to atmospheres of 60, 80, or 98% carbon dioxide (CO2) in nitrogen (N2), or 60 or 80% CO2 in air at temperatures of 26.7 degrees C or 32.2 degrees C and 60% RH. Controlled atmosphere treatments at 32.2 degrees C controlled pupae ...

Immune system maintenance and upregulation is costly. Sexual selection intensity, which increases male investment into reproductive traits, is expected to create trade-offs with immune function. We assayed phenoloxidase (PO) and lytic activity of individuals from populations of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella, which had been evolving under different intensities of sexual selection. ...

The life-like fidelity of organisms captured in amber is unique among all kinds of fossilization and represents an invaluable source for different fields of palaeontological and biological research. One of the most challenging aspects in amber research is the study of traits related to behaviour. Here, indirect evidence for pheromone-mediated mating behaviour is recorded from a biting midge (Ce...

Use of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) as a trap crop for management of diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), and leafwebber, Crocidolomia binotalis Zeller, was tried on an experimental farm and farmers’ fields. Preliminary studies indicated that planting of 15 cabbage rows followed by paired mustard rows to manage both pests was useful. The first mustard row is sown 15 days ...