Study of Migratory Flight in the Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

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Abstract
Research on flight activity of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is presented. Field-captured, mated females, aged 2–15 days posteclosion, were flown on flight mills linked to a microcomputer data-recording system. Flight duration ranged from 1 to 17 min for trivial flights; sustained flights lasted up to 4 h. Sustained flights were not made after females were 9 days old. Maximum distances of 24 km for one flight and 39.6 km for all flights during a 24-h period were recorded. Average speed of flight was 16 m/min for trivial fliers and 49 m/min for sustained fliers. Periodicity was observed for both types of flight; greatest flight activity occurred from 1800 to 2400 hours.