The effect of temperature on the behaviour and development of Triatoma brasiliensis

Abstract

Abstract. The effects of temperature on the development of early stages and the thermopreference of nymphs and adults were analysed in the haematophagous bug Triatoma brasiliensis Neiva, 1911 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae). Egg hatching, mortality of nymphs, feeding and moulting success of the early stages of T. brasiliensis were all affected by temperature. While high rates of egg hatching were observed between 25 and 27 C, no hatching occurred at 12, 19 and 38 C.

Temperature preference in Rhodnius prolixus, effects and possible consequences

“…The same pattern of thermopreference, i.e. a daily variation, as well as a decrease in preferred temperature with increasing starvation was also observed in two other triatomines T. brasiliensis (Guarneri et al, 2003) and Panstrongylus megistus (Pires et al, 2002). This suggests that this thermopreference behaviour could be a generalised phenomenon in triatomines.…”

“…T. infestans exhibits a bimodal pattern of thermopreference to oviposit, with a main peak at 29°C and a secondary one at 26°C (Lazzari, 1991). T. brasiliensis mainly prefers to oviposit across a wider range of temperatures (Guarneri et al, 2003). It should be mentioned that in contrast to other triatomines, R. prolixus fix their eggs to the substrate.…”

“…The tendency to aggregate in this species should not be excluded from the assays, since it assures us that the strong individual thigmotaxis, also characteristic in this species, is accounted for. Since previous studies tested thermopreference in other triatomines with groups of insects (Lazzari, 1991, Canals et al, 1997, Pires et al, 2002, Guarneri et al, 2003 results can be easily compared between studies. The positions of the insects were recorded by means of an infrared-sensitive video camera, which had its own illumination system composed of 6 IR light emitting diodes (LED's) (900 nm) and 4 extra pairs of IR-LED's placed at each corner of the arena in order to provide homogeneous illumination.…”

Relationship Between Behavior and Physiology in an Invasive Pest Species: Oviposition Site Selection and Temperature-Dependent Development of the Oriental Fruit Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

“…In the current study, oriental fruit moth females preferred oviposition sites culminating at a temperature of ϳ30ЊC as was clearly shown when the data from the temperature gradient were plotted relative to the area of the different temperature zones in analogy to a recent study by Kü hrt et al (2006). This behavior parallels the preference for a distinct temperature range within a gradient reported for different hematophagous hemipterans (Pires et al 2002, Guarneri et al 2003, Schilman and Lazzari 2004 and for a detrivorous dipteran species (Fogleman 1979). However, in a lepidopteran species closely related to the oriental fruit moth, the codling moth C. pomonella, females preferred the highest available temperature for oviposition regardless of the temperature ranges offered in a similar trial set-up (Kü hrt et al 2006).…”

Biology, diversity and strategies for the monitoring and control of triatomines - Chagas disease vectors

“…The precise mapping of their occurrence, domestic infestations and the natural infection rates for the different triatomine species is critical for understanding the challenges and threats posed by vectorial transmission (Silveira & Vinhaes 1999, Silveira 2000, Costa et al 2002, López-Cardenas et al 2005. Understanding their host searching behaviour and activity patterns (Guerenstein & Lazzari 2009) as well as their choice of environments (Guarneri et al 2002(Guarneri et al , 2003 is also necessary. In addition to the previously mentioned characteristics, dispersion and reproductive strategies are essential for creating models to predict re-infestation processes (Gurevitz et al 2006).…”