Survival Potential of First Instars of the Codling Moth in Laboratory Experiments12

Abstract

Mean survival times of starved first instars of the codling moth Laspeyresia pomonella (L.), varied with temperature and relative humidity in controlled laboratory experiments. As temperature increased and relative humidity decreased, average survival times declined. Larvae were tested at 44 combinations of temperature (4°–45°C) and relative humidity (15–100% RH), and results were used to construct a 3-dimensional figure relating these parameters with survival. Maximum survival time was over 300 h for larvae in water-saturated air at 4°C, and neonates survived less than 1 h at 45°C. The proportion of first instars penetrating apples was reduced when larvae were starved for various lengths of time at 100% RH and 4 temperatures (4°, 10°, 20°, and 30°C). Starvation at higher temperatures more severely affected successful fruit penetration.