Temperature Requirements of Some Aphids and Their Parasites

TLDR

Insect development rates depend on temperature, with species‑specific thresholds below which development ceases and thermal constants describing heat requirements, both of which can indicate potential distribution and abundance. The study compares developmental thresholds and temperature requirements among several aphid species, their parasites, and hyperparasites. The study does not review existing literature on temperature effects on insect development.

Abstract

The rate of insect development depends upon the temperature to which the insects are exposed. For each species, the temperature below which no measurable development occurs is its threshold of development. The amount of heat required over time for an insect to complete some aspect of development is considered to be a thermal constant (Andrewartha & Birch 1954; Bursell 1964). Messenger (1959, 1970) has shown that the threshold and the thermal constant may be useful indicators of an insect's potential distribution and abundance. This paper is concerned with differences between the developmental thresholds and temperature requirements of A cyrtihosiphon pisum (Harris), Aphis craccivora Koch, Brevicoryne brassicae (L.), Macrosiphum avenae (F.), and Masonaphis maxima (Mason) (Homoptera: Aphididae); their parasites Aphidius smithi Sharma & Subba Rao, A. ervi ervi Haliday, A. e. pulcher Baker, A. rubifolii Mackauer, Diaeretiella rapae (M'Intosh), and Praon pequodorum Viereck (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae); and hyperparasites Dendrocerus (= Lygocerus) niger (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Ceraphronidae) and Asaphes lucens (Provancher) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). No attempt is made to review the extensive literature on temperature effects on insect development in general. Andrewartha & Birch (1954), Bodenheimer & Swirski (1957), Howe (1967), Messenger (1959) and Schwerdtfeger (1963) have critically reviewed methods for determining temperature coefficients.