Morphometrical and front wing abrasion analysis of a Hungarian cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) population

Abstract

To determine the cotton bollworm migrating population rate in Hungary, we examined the weights and the front wing morphological feautures of trapped moths. We used sex pheromone traps to monitor field populations during the maize vegetation cycle period in 2008. We examined moths trapped at various times, and measured their body mass (m) and morphological features, namely the front wing quotient (fWQ = quotient of length of front wing/width of front wing), modified wing loading (WL = weight of moth/surface of front wing), and the relative thorax size (RTS = width of thorax/width of head). The data were analysed by Student t-test, anterior wing abrasion and darkness were analysed by a Adobe Photoshop 7.0 software. The Hungarian appearance of three cottom bollworm generations in 2008 was also observed. Based on the examined morphological features we found regularity in body mass, front wing quotient and modified wing loading changes during the flight period. The specimens trapped in the first and third part of the flight period had lower body mass, larger wing surface, longer wings and more favourable modified wing loading than the specimens trapped in the middle of the flight period. The abrasion and colour of the anterior wings of cotton bollworms were concordant to morphometric investigations. The abrasion in darker spots E1 and E3 clearly showed a more intensive usage of the wings in case of specimens trapped at the beginning and at the end of the flight period.

Phenotypic variability in the Old World bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) populations in India

“…Variations in forewing morphometry and colouration of H. armigera moths collected from varied locations have also been reported by Khiaban et al (2010) from Iran, and Keszthelyi et al (2011) from Hungary. Trait like wing morphology provides information regarding flight performance in lepidopterans (Cespedes et al, 2015), which can give insight into populations' host suitability and dispersal rates (Wells et al, 2018).…”

“…Selected forewings of these moths were also carefully examined under the microscope (Leica DM1000) to study the spot and band patterns present on them. The grey scale indexing was then carried out for the distinct reniform shaped spot and transverse band present on the forewing following the standard procedures as per Keszthelyi et al (2011). Spots having the grey scale value of 50 or below were considered prominent, while those having values greater than 50 were regarded as obscure.…”

Efficacies of Four Pheromone-Baited Traps in Capturing MaleHelicoverpa(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Moths in Northern Florida

“…Helicoverpa armigera has been successfully trapped by wire cone, dry funnel (Kehat & Greenberg 1978), and delta (sticky) traps baited with sex pheromone in Australia (Baker et al 2011;Fitt et al 1989;Wilson & Morton 1989), Egypt (Salem et al 2008), Greece (Mironidis et al 2010), Hungary (Dömötör et al 2007;Keszthelyi et al 2011), andIndia (Basavaraj et al 2013;Srivastava 2010). Sex pheromone traps, along with light traps, were successfully used to document new distributions of H. armigera in parts of Australia where populations were not thought to exist (Fitt et al 1995).…”

The growing abundance of Helicoverpa armigera in Hungary and its areal shift estimation

“…This adventive and invasive species occupied 94% of the area of Hungary in eight years. The areal penetration, induced by the strong ability of the species for migration and its good vagility, was proved to be influenced also by the climatic characters of the given years [23,30].…”