Comparison of Flight Ability of Native and Two Laboratory-Reared Strains of Boll Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) on a Flight Mill1

Abstract

Native boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, were compared to two laboratory-reared strains, NEVIE (reared for 20 generations) and CAST (reared for >400 generations) in terms of number of flights, resting time before flight (preflight), flight distance, flight duration, and flight speed. Native weevils did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) from the laboratory-reared strains in total number of flights and the resting time before a given flight. Overall mean number of flights and resting time before a given flight were 7.7 ± 0.9 and 20.6 ± 1.1 min, respectively, ±SD. However, native weevils had significantly (P < 0.05) greater flight distances, flight durations (>2 times), and flight speeds (1.2 times) for the first flight than did the laboratory-reared strains. Flight ability was uniform between the laboratory strains but was dynamic for native weevils, which displayed overall greater flight ability. Native weevils exhibited >2 times higher flight distances, >3 times higher flight durations, and only 1.1 times higher flight speeds for their first flight than for the remaining five flights. Native females tended to fly farther and longer than their laboratory-reared counterparts.