DISTRIBUTION MODEL OF <i>HELIOTHIS ZEA</i> (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) DEVELOPMENT TIMES

Abstract

Abstract Two geographical biotypes (G and A) of Heliothis zea Boddie were identified in a constant temperature laboratory study. The G (Georgia) biotype was found to have a mean development rate 5 ± 1% faster and coefficient of variability 44 ± 9% higher than the comparable A (Arizona) biotype. Each geographical biotype was described by a biophysically based, nonlinear development function with an R 2 equal to 0.995. At temperature ranging from 15.6° to 35.6°C, the adult emergence distributions transformed to a physiological age scale were shown statistically to be independent of temperature. They could be described by a “same shape” distribution function. The empirical same shape distribution for rate was not significantly different from a hypothetical normal distribution.