Fecundity and Longevity of Synanthedon pictipes1 under Constant and Fluctuating Temperatures 2

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Abstract
The daily oviposition, egg viability, and survival of mated S. pictipes (Grote and Robinson) females were recorded in the laboratory. The females were kept individually at 7 constant (within a 15–38°C range) and 3 fluctuating temperature regimes, under a 16:8 L:D photoperiod. No eggs were laid at 15°C. The fecundity, the percentage of females that laid eggs, and the percentage of females that laid viable eggs were maximum within the 27–34°C range. The reciprocal of mean female longevity (female living rate) increased linearly with temperature over the entire range. The reciprocal of time from emergence to mean fecundity (egg maturation rate) also increased linearly over the 21–30–C range. These two rates are conceptually analogous to the well known developmental rates of immature stages. Thus developmental zeros and thermal summations for the egg maturation rate (18°C, 33 degree-days °C) and for the female living rate (14°C, 84 degree-days °C) were calculated from linear regressions. Fluctuating temperatures, as compared to equivalent constants, increased the percentage of females that laid eggs and the egg maturation rate, but not the female living rate. Reasons for this discrepancy are inferred. The above data will be used in conjunction with thermal requirements of immature stages and field temperature records to elucidate the population biology of this pest insect.

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