Emergence of the overwintering generation of peach fruit moth (Carposina sasakii) depends on diapause and spring soil temperatures

Abstract

Survival rate and emergence timing of the overwintering generation of many temperate agricultural pests is expected to affect their population dynamics and damage potential. However the impact of fluctuating winter and spring conditions on the successful emergence of insects post-diapause is generally poorly known. Here we characterize diapause responses in the peach fruit moth (PFM) pest, Carposina sasakii Matsumura, which overwinters at the larval stage in soil. Temperatures at a depth of 5. cm fluctuated markedly in early spring during the critical PFM post-diapause period (late December to mid-April). By removing outdoor larval samples over this period, we show that the completion of dia..