Date of Award
2011
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Program
Biology
Supervisor
Dr. Jeremy McNeil
Abstract
Insects migrate in order to escape deteriorating habitats and colonize new ones. However, long distance flight may utilise resources that would otherwise be allocated to reproduction and it has been postulated that migrants have adaptations to reduce the cost of migration to future reproduction. I determined the suitability of the rearing method used extensively for previous studies on Pseudaletia unipuncta adult moth eco- physiology that is primarily based on artificial diets and environmental conditions to mimic cues of habitat quality. I found that there are significant differences in developmental time, mass and lipid accumulation between insects reared under artificial conditions and those reared under field conditions. Based on the results of this study, future work on the migration of true armyworms should do so under field conditions on host plant diets in order to make appropriate and ecologically relevant conclusions.
Recommended Citation
Marinas, Maria Angela, "EFFECT OF REARING CONDITIONS ON THE DEVELOPMENT, SIZE AND LIPID ACCUMULATION OF THE TRUE ARMYWORM, PSEUDALETIA UNIPUNCTA (HAWORTH)" (2011). Digitized Theses. 3328.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/digitizedtheses/3328