Mating and Oviposition of the Cabbage Looper in the Laboratory12

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Abstract
Mating of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner), occurred infrequently in the laboratory at temperatures below 15.6°C. Light:dark cycles of 14:10, 10:14, or 18:6 hours apparently did not affect frequency of mating, but the cyclic rhythm could be altered by rescheduling the cycles. Cold treatment (10°C), carbon dioxide, or ether used as anesthetic agents decreased mating 4, 58, and 84%, respectively, if the moths were exposed for 10 min and then paired for 24 hours. Recovery from 10 minutes of exposure to cold treatment or ether occurred within 48 hours. Twenty minutes of exposure to carbon dioxide or ether reduced mating for 48 hours. Cage size and type (carton and 8-mesh wire screen) did not affect mating when 1-5 pairs per cage were used. However, mating increased from 35 to 8370 when the male: female ratio was increased from 0.25 to 4. Male cabbage looper moths mated infrequently the 1st night after emergence and most frequently the 3rd and 4th nights after emergence when they were paired with receptive females. Females mated the 1st night after emergence but more consistently thereafter. when moth pairs were held at temperatures below 15.6°C, few or no eggs were laid. However, the viability and the total number of eggs laid when the moths were held at all temperatures between 15.6° and 32.2°C were comparable. Longevity of moths held at 10°C increased greatly over that of moths held at 4.4°, 15.6°, 21.1°, 26.7°, or 32.2°C; at 10°C 92% of each sex were living after 30 days.

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