Abstract
The timing of diapause termination and the thermal characteristics of postdiapause development were compared in six Ontario populations of the spotted tentiform leafminer, Phyllonorycter blancardella (Fabr.). The populations studied were from the major apple growing areas which are located in four climatically different zones. Pupae of all populations collected in the fall and stored under simulated overwintering conditions had terminated diapause by the end of January. Pupae overwintering under natural conditions had also terminated diapause by this time. Significant population differences occurred in the postdiapause developmental threshold (t0) and thermal constant (K). Simulating postdiapause development and emergence of the six populations using the 1981 temperature records from one location resulted in a 9-day difference between the earliest and latest mean emergence times. The implications of these results for pest management are discussed.