engleski

Flight mill methodology in assessing flight propensity of the box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

The box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), is a pest native to East Asia. It presents highly invasive and economically important pest of box trees, Buxus spp. in Europe which are of great cultural importance. International trade of Buxus plants is considered as a main introduction pathway. C. perspectalis causes severe damage by feeding on the leaves and the bark of box trees causing them to dry out and die. In southern Europe it has at least three generations. The natural dispersal velocity of adults is 7-10 km per year. In general, insect dispersal by flight is one of the most difficult and intractable ecological processes to study in the field. Knowledge of C. perspectalis flight propensity (e.g. distance, velocity, duration) is of great importance for assessment of spread and mitigation measures. Insect flight behavior is difficult to observe in natural environment, especially long distance flights. Therefore, our aim was, using flight mill, provide an easy and cheap method of testing flight propensity and patterns of slow-fast flights and long-short flight characteristics. In this study, four flight mills´ chambers were used to measure the flight propensity. Speed, distance, duration and the number of individual flights were recorded for C. perspectalis wild population. Flight mill was placed under naturally occurring conditions (12:12h photoperiod, 24 °C and 45 - 55% humidity). Presentation will show the methodology of C. perspectalis flight behavior investigation.

Cydalima perspectalis, dispersal, flight behavior, flight mill, propensity

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