New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Effects of temperature and humidity on flight initiation and mortality
of Euophryum confine
M. Green
A. J. Pitman
Forest Products Research Centre
Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe, Bucks.
HP11 2JZ, United Kingdom
email: Matthew.Green@bcuc.ac.uk
Abstract The effect of temperature and humidity on
flight initiation and mortality of adult Euophryum confine (Broun)
(Coleoptera: Curculionidae) was investigated in the laboratory. Conditions
for flight in this species are optimal when relative humidity (r.h.) drops
below 30% (±5% r.h.) at 23 and 28°C (±1°C). Less flight
activity was observed at higher levels of temperature (33°C) and humidity.
Observations of flight at 23° and 28°C varied at humidities between
10-30%: 50% of the sampled population flew at 20% r.h. Temperature had no
significant influence on flight initiation between 23-28°C throughout
the relative humidity range found to support flight. However, percentage
adult mortality was significantly higher at 33 than at 28°C, and decreased
as relative humidity increased over the 10-30% range.
Keywords Euophryum confine; wood-boring insect;
weevil flight
Z02004 Received 19 February 2002; accepted 10 September 2002; published
21 March 2003
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2003, Vol. 30: 11-15
0301-4223/03/3001-0011 $7.00/0 © The Royal Society of New Zealand
2003
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