Integrated pest management (IPM) and insect resistance management (IRM) in various cropping systems demand a comprehensive understanding of insect behavior. Among the needed information is basic charaterizations of larval movement and dispersion of some insect-pests, such as the noctuidsStriacosta albicosta(Smith) andSpodoptera frugiperda(J.E. Smith). We investigated the plant-to-plant movement of western bean cutworm and fall armyworm larvae in field of maize. Experiments onS. albicostawere conducted between 2008 and 2010. A main study with this pest was performed in 2012 in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with nine replications. AnS. frugiperdastudy was performed in 2013 in an RCBD with eight replications. The plant- to-plant movement and larval survival were measured in plots with maize nontoxic to the insects. The larval survival ofS. albicostapresented high variety throughout the years. AlthoughS. frugiperdasurvival was relatively low during 2013, it did not compromise the larval assessment. Larvae of both species dispersed governed by nondirectional sensory information, and presented aggregated and symmetrical distribution; however, fall armyworm remained nearer the release point. These results may help the IPM components, such as scouting and economic threshold, as well as the implementation of refuge and seed mixture strategies for IRM.
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