Factors influencing the duration and termination of diapause in the Warehouse moth, Ephestia elutella

Abstract

The influence of environmental factors on the duration of diapause was evaluated in larvae of Ephestia elutella (Hübner) reared in short photo‐periods at 25d̀C or below. Termination of diapause was hastened by long photoperiods, high temperatures, long periods at low temperature, or exposure to fumigants. Diapause terminated rapidly under long photoperiods at 30 or 25d̀C, but not at 20d̀C. The critical photoperiod for the termination of diapause was similar to that for induction, lying between 13 and 16 h at 25d̀C. The longest duration of diapause occurred in constant darkness (DD) at 20d̀C. However, batches of larvae reared at 20d̀C in DD pupated a little sooner than batches reared under LD, if both were transferred at the start of diapause to warm, long‐day conditions. Long exposure to low temperature reduced the number of long photoperiods necessary for the rapid termination of diapause at high temperature. Samples of larvae brought to the laboratory at monthly intervals from an unheated outbuilding in which they were overwintering, required an average of c. 200 days to pupate in DD at 25d̀C when transferred in December, compared with only 32 days when transferred in February or March. By comparison, batches transferred to LD 16:8 at 25d̀C required 39 days when transferred in December and 20–24 days in February and March. Holding at low temperature for long periods also encouraged synchronous emergence of the sexes. Duration of diapause was generally shorter in a laboratory stock than in a stock collected from the field.