Effects of diapause on post‐diapause reproductive investment in the moth Ostrinia scapulalis

Abstract

AbstractDiapause is a strategy used by many insect species to survive adverse environmental conditions. However, diapause incurs costs that may have adverse effects on post‐diapause development and reproduction. We herein investigated the effects of diapause on the post‐diapause reproductive investment of males and females in a multivoltine moth, the adzuki bean borer, Ostrinia scapulalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). We found that (1) post‐diapause males and females were smaller and had lower mating success than non‐diapause individuals, (2) post‐diapause females had lower fecundity and shorter longevity than non‐diapause females, (3) post‐diapause males transferred similar numbers of eupyrene and apyrene sperm as non‐diapause males, (4) the fecundity and longevity of non‐diapause females mated with post‐diapause males and those mated with non‐diapause males were not significantly different, and (5) no significant relationship was found between diapause duration (short and long) and post‐diapause reproductive investments in both males and females. These results suggest that post‐diapause males did not reduce reproductive investment in spite of the cost of diapause, and the significant decline in reproductive output in post‐diapause females was due to their reduced body weight and longevity, which appeared to be direct consequences of the cost of diapause.