Effect of a juvenile hormone analogue on the life span, egg laying, and ecdysteroid titer of virgin Ephestia cautella females

Abstract

Mated females of the tropical warehouse moth, Ephestia cautella, start laying eggs shortly after adult emergence. All eggs are laid within 4 days and the adult's total life span is 5 to 6 days. If mating i s prevented, egg laying is drastically delayed and the life span is extended to approximately 10 to 11 days. Virgin females lay fewer eggs than mated insects. If the juvenile hormone analogue methoprene is applied topically (100 ng/pupa) 2 to 3 days prior to adult emergence, the number of eggs per virgin female increases and the life span is reduced, as compared with nontreated virgins, and reaches values similar to control (mated) females. Changes in the ecdysteroid titer of females are related to egg laying. The concentrations increase and reach a maximum before most of the eggs are laid. Accordingly, the peak maximum is delayed in virgins as compared with mated females. This delay i s prevented after application of methoprene. Mated and virgin females have lower ecdysteroid levels than treated virgins. In contrast to mated females, males have much lower ecdysteroid levels throughout their adult life.

Effects of Methoprene on Female Reproduction, Longevity and F1 Progeny Development in the Cotton Bollworm MothHelicoverpa armigera(Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

“…These results are consistent with the report that JHa increased fecundity in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana (Steigenga et al 2006). Similarly, the number of eggs per virgin female increases when methoprene is applied to the tropical warehouse moth Ephestia cautella (Shaaya et al 1991). In contrast, JHa fenoxycarb treatment lowers receptivity in H. armigera females, and subsequent egg-fertility is also affected; eggs laid by mated, JHa-treated females do not hatch but the embryos develop (Rafaeli & Bober 2005).…”

Influence of juvenile hormone and mating on oogenesis and oviposition in the codling moth,Cydia pomonella

“…Central to the gonadotropic role of JH is its effect on oviposition. That JH or methoprene stimulates ovi-position has been demonstrated or inferred in other moth species, e.g., Ephestia cautella (Shaaya et al, 1991); H. virescens ; and T. ni (Campero and Haynes, 1990). In Platynota stultana, another tortricid, decapitation eliminates oviposition, but application of JHs to virgins causes a stimulation comparable to that found post-mating (Webster and Cardé, 1984).…”

RNAi‐mediated silencing of SlitPer disrupts sex pheromone communication behavior in Spodoptera litura

“…41 Topical application of methoprene (a juvenile hormone analog) caused virgin Ephestia cautella to oviposit early. 42 The rearing on a juvenile hormone-supplemented diet reduced the calling behavior of Plodia interpunctella. 43 However, little is known about whether biological clock genes regulate these behaviors in female moths.…”

“…The sex peptide receptor probably mediated sex pheromone biosynthesis, calling, and oviposition behavior in Helicoverpa armigera 41 . Topical application of methoprene (a juvenile hormone analog) caused virgin Ephestia cautella to oviposit early 42 . The rearing on a juvenile hormone‐supplemented diet reduced the calling behavior of Plodia interpunctella 43 .…”