EFFECT OF SOIL MOISTURE AND SIMULATED RAINFALL ON PUPAL SURVIVAL AND MOTH EMERGENCE OF <i>HELICOVERPA PUNCTIGERA</i> (WALLENGREN) AND <i>H. ARMIGERA</i> (HÜBNER) (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE)

Abstract

Prepupae of Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren) and H. armigera (Hübner) were allowed to pupate in a black cracking‐clay soil at different moisture levels. No differences in pupal survival and moth emergence were recorded where soil moisture ranged from dry to very wet when prepupae tunnelled into the soil. In a second experiment, simulated rainfall after pupation, but before moth emergence, reduced survival by disrupting emergence tunnels and trapping moths in their tunnels. This effect was greater where prepupae had tunnelled into dry soil than where they had tunnelled into wet soil.