Hemolymph lipids and flight activity in Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

AbstractIn this study the flight activity of female and male Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) moths was observed and compared to hemolymph lipid concentrations. The major male and female H. zea flight activity occurred between simulated dusk (1700) and dawn (0300). Male flight activity was up to 7 times greater than females through 6 days after eclosion except for the 1st day (0.8 times). Females had a unimodal pattern of flight activity, peaking between dusk and 2 h later. Males had a bimodal pattern; one between dusk and 2 h later, and another 3 h after dusk, continuing for h. Prior to dusk, total neutral hemolymph lipids (neutral) of H. zea day 4 moths was 64 μg/μl for males and 48 μg/μl for females. Typical lipid composition in day 4 males prior to flight was 1,2‐diacylglycerides (DG) (50% w/w), triacylglycerides (TG) (35%), cholesterol esters (2%), and less than 1% monoacylglycerides and cholesterol. The remainder consisted of free fatty acids (<0.5 μg/μl), and various uncharacterized phospholipids and lipophilic compounds. Hemolymph DG concentration patterns were similar between day 4 males and females, were highest in both sexes prior to, during, and after flight (approximately 32 μg/μl), and then decreased steadily throughout the flight period to approximately 16 μg/ml as flight ceased. Hemolymph TG were lower than DG, but followed the same pattern except at 2100 and 2300. In day 4 males between 2100 and 2300, TG increased to 33 μg/μl which was when DG was lowest (15 μg/μl) and their flight activity was highest. Hemolymph DG decreased (26 to 20 μg/μl) in day 4 females between 2100 and 2300 as TG remained fairly constant (18 μg/μl).