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The true armyworm, Pseudaletia unipuncta: A victim of the Pied Piper or a seasonal migrant?*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Jeremy N. McNeil
Jeremy N. McNeil
Affiliation:
Département de biologie, Université Laval, STE. FOY, P.Q., Canada, G1K 7P4
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Abstract

Each summer the true armyworm, Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haw.), like many other noctuid species, establishes temporary populations in habitats considerably north of areas where permanent populations persist. Data are presented in support of the hypothesis that P. unipuncta is a seasonal migrant and not a victim of an agricultural “Pied Piper” phenomenon. It is proposed that the spring northward migration occurs to avoid the deleterious effects of summer temperatures and the southward fall one to escape severe winter conditions. It is also argued that both spring and fall migrations are initiated by similar short-day, low temperature conditions, which serve as predictable environmental cues for an impending habitat deterioration.

Résumé

Chaque été en Amérique du Nord, la légionnaire uniponctuée, Pseudaletia unipuncta (Haw.), comme plusieurs autres espèces de noctuelles, établit des populations temporaires dans des habitats situés beaucoup plus au nord par rapport aux régions où les populations persistent pendant toute l'année. Les données présentées appuient l'hypothèse voulant que P. unipuncta soit un vrai migrant et non une victime des pratiques agricoles. De plus, il est proposé que les adultes qui migrent vers le nord au printemps évitent ainsi les effets néfastes des hautes températures qui sévissent dans le sud pendant l'été. Par ailleurs, en automne la migration de retour vers le sud serait une façon d'éviter les conditions hivernales du nord. Enfin, l'auteur propose que les conditions de courte journée et de basse température, qui prévalent pendant le printemps et l'automne serviraient à annoncer la détérioration de l'habitat et l'initiation des migrations.

Keywords

Pseudaletia unipunctatrue armywormseasonal migrantcalling behaviourseasonal trap catchesPseudaletia unipunctalégionnaire uniponctuéemigrant saisonnaircomportement d'appelcapture des adultes
Type
Symposium IV: Migration and Dispersal of Tropical Noctuid Moths
Information
International Journal of Tropical Insect Science , Volume 8 , Issue 4-5-6: Recent Advances in Research on Tropical Entomology , December 1987 , pp. 591 - 597
Copyright
Copyright © ICIPE 1987

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