Studies on insect dormancy. I. Physiology of hibernation in the larvae of the blackfly Prosimulium mysticum Peterson

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Abstract
Hibernation in Prosimulium mysticum is regulated by the habitat temperature. The dormant larvae maintained a low rate of respiration and survived about 20 h of oxygen deprivation. Constantly aerated water, however, is necessary for prolonged survival. Hibernation is further characterized by the presence of low amounts of trehalose and glucose and high levels of glycogen, glycerol, sorbitol, and mannitol.When hibernation was terminated, respiration was significantly increased within 1–15 h at temperatures ranging from 20 to 9 °C; at 6 °C it took a little longer. Termination oaf dormancy was also associated with appreciable depletion of polyhydric alcohols and increase in trehalose.The developing larvae could reenter dormancy after being transferred from 9 °C to temperatures below 4 °C. Respiratory adjustments were achieved within a couple of hours of exposure to the low temperatures. Polyhydric alcohols were also completely recovered within a day.The significance of these observations in relation to the status of dormancy in the blackfly is discussed.

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