Summary
Neacoryphus bicrucis hibernates in the adult stage and exhibits a facultative reproductive diapause. Constant photoperiods of the durations encountered in the field do not evoke the diapause response but Shortening of the photoperiods does, providing the decrease in daylength is of a certain length and occurs within a certain photoperiodic interval. The sensitive stages are larval instars II to V. The percentage of diapausing bugs increases as temperature is lowered.
It is suggested that the response to daylength shortening in N. bicrucis is an adaptation to ensure seasonal synchronization in a highly migratory species where successive generations may breed at different latitudes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Blakley, N.: Evolutionary responses to environmental heterogeneity in milkweed bugs (Oncopeltus: Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Ph. D. thesis, University of Iowa (1977)
Caldwell, R.L.: A comparison of the migratory strategies of two milkweed bugs. In: Experimental Analysis of Insect Behaviour (L.B. Browne, ed.), pp. 304–316. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1974
Danilevskii, A.S.: Photoperiodism and seasonal development of insects. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd 282 pp. (1965)
Danilevskii, A.S., Goryshin, N.I., Tyshchenko, V.P.: Biological rhythms in terrestrial arthropods. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 15, 201–244 (1970)
Dingle, H.: The influence of environment and heredity on flight activity in the milkweed bug Oncopeltus. J. Exp. Biol. 48, 175–184 (1968a)
Dingle, H.: Life history and population consequences of density, photoperiod, and temperature in a migrant insect, the milkweed bug Oncopeltus. Am. Nat. 102, 149–163 (1968b)
Dingle, H.: Migration strategies of insects. Science 175, 1327–1335 (1972)
Dingle, H.: Diapause in a migrant insect, the milkweed bug Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Oecologia (Berlin) 17, 1–10 (1974a)
Dingle, H.: The experimental analysis of migration of life history strategies in insects. In: Experimental Analysis of Insect Behaviour (L.B. Browne, ed.), pp. 329–342. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1974b
Dingle, H.: A comparative study of migration and diapause in tropical, temperate and island milkweed bugs. In: Evolution of Insect Migration and Diapause (H. Dingle, ed.), pp. 254–276. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1978
Dingle, H., Brown, C.K., Hegmann, J.P.: The nature of genetic variance influencing photoperiodic diapause in a migrant insect, Oncopeltus fasciatus. Am. Nat. 111, 1047–1059 (1977)
Dixon, W.J., Massey, F.J.Jr.: Introduction to Statistical Analysis. Third ed. Tokyo: McGraw-Hill Kogakusha, 638 pp. (1969)
Glick, P.A.: The distribution of insects, spiders, and mites in the air. U.S. Dept. Agric. Tech. Bull. 673, 1–150 (1939)
Glick, P.A.: Collecting insects by airplane, with special reference to dispersal of the potato leafhopper. U.S. Dept. Agric. Tech. Bull. 1222, 1–16 (1960)
Janzen, D.H.: Seed predation by animals. Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 2, 465–492 (1971)
Ralph, C.P.: Natural food requirements of the large milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), and their relation to host plant morphology. Oecologia (Berlin) 26, 157–175 (1976)
Ralph, C.P.: Effect of host plant density on populations of a specialized seed-sucking bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus. Ecology 58, 799–809 (1977)
Root, R.B., Chaplin, S.J.: The life-styles of tropical milkweed bugs Oncopeltus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) utilizing the same hosts. Ecology 57, 132–140 (1976)
Sauer, D., Feir, D.: Studies on natural populations of Oncopeltus fasciatus (Dallas), the large milkweed bug. Am. Midl. Nat. 90, 13–37 (1973)
Saunders, D.S.: Insect Clocks. Oxford-New York-Toronto-Sydney-Paris-Franfurt: Pergamon Press 1976
Scudder, G.G.E.: Neacoryphus Scudder, a new genus of Lygaeinae (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. B. C. 62, 34–37 (1965)
Slate, J.A.: A Catalogue of the Lygaeidae of the World. Storrs, Conn.: University of Connecticut 1964
Slater, J.A., Sperry, B.: The biology and distribution of the South African Lygaeinae, with descriptions of new species (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae). Ann. Transvaal Mus. 28, 117–201 (1973)
Solbreck, C.: Displacement of marked Lygaeus equestris (L.) (Het., Lygaeidae) during pre- and posthibernation migrations. Acta Entomol. Fenn. 28, 74–83 (1971)
Solbreck, C.: Sexual cycle, and changes in feeding activity and fat body size in relation to migration in Lygaeus equestris (L.) (Het., Lygaeidae). Entomol. Scand. 3, 267–274 (1972)
Solbreck, C.: Flight patterns of Lygaeus equestris (Heteroptera) in spring and autumn with special reference to the influence of weather. Oikos 27, 134–143 (1976)
Solbreck, C.: Migration, diapause, and direct development as alternative life-histories in a seed bug Neacoryphus bicrucis. In: Evolution of Insect Migration and Diapause (H. Dingle, ed.), pp 195–217. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1978
Solbreck, C., Kugelberg, O.: Field observations on the seasonal occurrence of Lygaeus equestris (L.) (Het., Lygaeidae) with special reference to food plant phenology. Entomol. Scand. 3, 189–210 (1972)
Solbreck, C., Pehrson, I.: Relations between environment, migration and reproduction in a seed bug, Neacoryphus bicrucis (Say) (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae). Oecologia (Berlin) 43, 51–62 (1979)
Tauber, M.J., Tauber, C.A.: Photoperiodic induction and termination of diapause in an insect: response to changing day lengths. Science 167, 170 (1970)
Tauber, M.J., Tauber, C.A.: Insect phenology: Criteria for analyzing dormancy and for forecasting postdiapause development and reproduction in the field. Search (Agriculture), Cornell Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta., Ithaca 3, 12, 1–16 (1973)
Vepsäläinen, K.: Wing dimorphism and diapause in Gerris: Determination and adaptive significance. In: Evolution of Insect Migration and Diapause (H. Dingle, ed.), pp. 218–253. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer 1978
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Solbreck, C. Induction of diapause in a migratory seed bug, Neacoryphus bicrucis (Say) (Heteroptera: Lygaeidae). Oecologia 43, 41–49 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346671
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00346671