1975/10/01 by Wayland R. Swain
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Insect Pest Control Strategies #Insect Utilization and Effects #Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
paper · doi:10.4039/ent1071057-10
Abstract The tolerance of young adult Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab) to sub-freezing temperatures, −5, −10, −12, −18, −21, and −25 °C, was studied. Mortality in test populations increased in proportion to amplification of both intensity and duration. The increase in mortality with respect to duration follows a sigmoid curve. Environmental stresses, i.e., intense cold and starvation, increase the slope of the curve. In all cases, starvation mitigates against survival. R . dominica dies of starvation in a period between 116 and 432 h. Mortality due to starvation plotted against time yields a sigmoid curve. Inhibition in feeding was observed in starved populations after 20 min of exposure at −18 °C or lower. This inhibition led to death after 7 days and apparently occurred secondarily to a state of “stress-induced lethargy.” Stress-induced lethargy was observed only in organisms which were both starved and subjected to sub-freezing temperatures.