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Mating frequency of female false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): trade-off between fecundity and longevity

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Abstract

Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a polyphagous insect pest native to sub-Saharan Africa. The larvae burrow into the fruit and feed on the pulp, thus inflicting huge direct (yield) and indirect losses (markets). Nevertheless, little is known about the mating frequency, behavior, and trade-off between fecundity and longevity of this pest. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effect of mating status and frequency on fecundity, fertility, and female longevity of T. leucotreta; evaluate the trade-off between the female fecundity and longevity, and evaluate the spermatophore degradation in the bursa copulatrix. The first mating occurred 13 h on average after adult eclosion and the highest number of individuals were mated on the first-day post eclosion. Females mated frequently with an average of 6.3 mating occurrences. Fecundity was highest for females mated multiple times with the same male followed by those mated with different males. An increase in mating duration significantly increased the fecundity of females mated once with virgin males, while it decreased the fecundity of those mated once with the mated males. The number of eggs laid by females significantly increased with the increase in the number of matings and female longevity. The amount of resources invested by females for egg laying was thirty to seventy times higher than those used for survival, depending on the mating status. The spermatophore in bursa copulatrix was invisible 24 h after copulation. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the reproductive biology and demographic parameters of T. leucotreta. The findings of this study lay the foundation for the development of sound management strategies of this pest, such as the use of autodissemination technique, mating disruption, and sterile insect techniques.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Francis Obala for the technical assistance. This work received financial support from SIDA through Bioinnovate Africa grant number BA-C1-2017-06_icipe. Further support was obtained from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, the Section for research, innovation, and higher education grant number RAF-3058 KEN-18/0005. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the financial support to icipe’s core fund by the following organizations and agencies; UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO); the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida); the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; and the Government of the Republic of Kenya. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the donors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya

    Abdelmutalab G. A. Azrag, Shepard Ndlela, Abdullah M. Mkiga & Samira Abuelgasim Mohamed

  2. Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, P.O. Box 20, Wad Medani, Sudan

    Abdelmutalab G. A. Azrag

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  1. Abdelmutalab G. A. Azrag
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Correspondence to Abdelmutalab G. A. Azrag.

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Azrag, A.G.A., Ndlela, S., Mkiga, A.M. et al. Mating frequency of female false codling moth, Thaumatotibia leucotreta (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae): trade-off between fecundity and longevity. J Insect Behav 34, 319–333 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-021-09792-y

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