Abstract
Analysis of annual and plot variations of egg batches number of Thaumetopoea pityocampa at the southern limit of its distribution area and in Pinus halepensis afforestations situated in the Algerian sub-Saharan region showed that its fecundity depends on the density of its population, plots, years and interaction of plots-years. It appears that the high average abundance of egg batches/trees during the outbreak period of this pest insect exceeds 24. The real fecundity is the lowest in the Mediterranean Basin and suggests that local adaptation can occur. The low fecundity is not an obstacle to caterpillar survival under different selection pressures. It is compensated by merging of colonies during the larval cycle. Moreover, in this study we noted a significant correlation between the number of eggs and the size of egg batches deposited on needles or around small pine branches. Size of egg batches is also intimately linked to the length of adult female forewings, fresh weight of females and weight of their pupae. Females with a biennial cycle have a low potential fecundity compared to those with an annual one.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Androic M. 1957. La processionnaire du pin (Cnethocampa pity-ocampa)–Etude biologique et écologique. Ann. Pro Exp. 13: 351–460.
Battisti A. 1988. Host-plant relationships and population dynamics of the pine processionary caterpillar Thaumetopoea pity-ocampa (Denis & Schiffermüller). J. Appl. Entomol. 105 (1–5): 393–402. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0418.1988.tb00202.x
Battisti A., Stastny M., Buffo E. & Larsson S. 2006. A rapid altitudinal range expansion in the pine processionary moth produced by the 2003 climatic anomaly. Global Change Biology 12 (4): 662–671. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2486.2006.01124.x
Bertella N. 1987. Bio-écologie de Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff. (Lepidoptera, Thaumetopoeidae) dans quelques régions d’Algérie. Thèse de Magister en Sciences Agronomiques, Institut National Agronomique, El-Harrach- Algérie, 110 pp.
Buffo E., Petrucco Toffolo E., Zovi D., Stastny M., Larsson S. & Battisti A. 2005. Adaptation of Thaumetopoea pityocampa larvae to leaf toughness in Pinus, p. 10. In: UE RTD Project–Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources, Global change and pine processionary moth: a new challenge for integrated pest management, Promoth, QLK5-CT-2002-00852, Scientific programme and abstracts, Multifunctional management of forests, Belgodère, Calvi, Corsica, France.
Demolin G. 1969. Comportement des adultes de Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff. Dispersion spatiale, importance écologique. Ann. Sci. Forest. 26(1): 81–102. DOI: 10.1051/ forest/19690104
Demolin G. 1970. Programa ecológico internacional sobre la procesionaria del pino, Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff. Mora de Rubielos. Bol. Serv. Plagas Forest. 12(26): 111–117.
Demolin G. & Rive J. L. 1968. La processionnaire du pin en Tunisie. Institut National de Recherches Forestieres, Tunisie, Annales 1(1): 1–19.
Du Merle P. 1988. Quelques problèmes de diagnostic posés par les insectes défoliateurs forestiers. Revue Forestière Fran¸caise 60 (No S): 118–123. DOI: 10.4267/2042/25924
Foltz J.L., Knight F.B. & Allen D. 1972. Numerical analysis of population fluctuations of the jack pine budworm. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 65(1): 82–89. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/aesa/65.1.82
Geri C. 1980. Application des méthodes d’études démécologiques aux insectes défoliateurs forestiers: cas de Diprion pini L. (Hyménoptère Diprionidae) et dynamique des populations de la Processionnaire du Pin, Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff. (Lépidoptère Thaumetopeidae) dans l’ile de la Corse. Thèse Doct. Sci. Paris sud. Centre d’Orsay, 260 pp
Hillbur Y., Andersson S., Battisti A., Birgersson G., Cappucci M., Faccoli M., Ostrand F. & Schyter F. 2005. Host volatile release from Pinus spp. and female and male reponse in pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa: oviposition or habitat cues? Comm. Meeting Promoth, France, p. 20. In: UE RTD Project–Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources, Global change and pine processionary moth: a new challenge for integrated pest management, Promoth, QLK5-CT-2002-00852, Scientific programme and abstracts, Multifunctional management of forests, Belgodère, Calvi, Corsica, France.
Kerdelhué C., Zane L., Simonato M., Salvato P., Rousselet J., Roques A. & Battisti A. 2009. Quaternary history and contemporary patterns in a currently expanding species. BMC Evol. Biol. 9: 220. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2148-9-220
Longo S., Palmeri V. & Rapisarda C. (1989) Indagini bio-ecologiche sulla “processionaria” del pino, Thaumetopoea pityocampa in Sicilia. Estratto da “Technica Agricola” in Sicilia 3: 3–19.
Markalas S. 1989. Influence of soil moisture on the mortality, fecondity and diapause of the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff.). J. Appl. Entomol. 107 (1–5): 211–215. DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0418.1989.tb00250.x
Milani N. 1990. The temperature of the egg masses of Thaume-topoea pityocampa (Den. & Schiff.) (Lepidoptera, Thaume-topoeidae). Redia 73(1): 149–161. ISSN:0370-4327
Pimentel C., Ferreira C. & Nilsson J.A. 2010. Latitudinal gradients and the shaping of life-story traits in a gregarious caterpillars. J. Linn. Soc. 100(1): 224–236. DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01413.x
Questienne P. & Miermont Y. 1978. Contibution à la connaissance de Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiff. Etude de la chenille processionnaire du pin et du cèdre au Maroc. Ann. Rech. For. Maroc. 19: 151–233.
Santos H.M., Paiva M.R., Rocha S., Kerdelhue C. & Branco M. 2013. Phenotypic divergence in reproductive traits of a moth population experiencing a phenological shift. Ecol. Evol. 3(15): 5098–5108. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.865
Schmidt G.H. & Douma-Petridou E. 1989. A contribution to parasitism of egg batches of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis et Schiff.)(Lepidoptera Thaumetopoeidae) on the Peloponnes (Greece). Bollettino di Zoologia Agraria e di Bachicoltura 21: 141–151.
Tiberi R. 1978. Notizie preliminari sull’incidenza dei parassiti oofagi nelle popolazioni di processionaria del pino in giovani pinete dell’ Italia Centrale. Redia 61: 487–501.
Tiberi R., Niccoli A., Curini M., Epifano F., Marcotullio M. C. & Rosati O. 1999. The role of the monoterpene composition in Pinus spp. Needles, in host selection by the pine caterpillar, Thaumetopoea pityocampa. Phytoparasitica 27(4): 263–272. DOI: 10.1007/BF02981482
Welligton W.G. 1957. Individual differences as a factor in population dynamics: the development of a problem. Can. J. Zool. 35(3): 293–323. DOI: 10.1139/z57-025
Zamoum M., Guendouz H. & Deia D. 2007. Structure des communautés d’ennemis naturels de Thaumetopoea pityocampa Denis & Schiffermüller (Lep., Thaumetopoeidae) sur pin d’Alep en Algérie subsaharienne. Entomologica: Annali di Entomologia Generale ed Applicata 40: 139–151.
Zamoum M. 1998. Données sur la bioécologie, les facteurs de mortalité et la dynamique des populations de Thaumetopoea pityocampa Denis et Schiffermüller. (Lep., Thaumetopoei-dae) dans les pineraies subsahariennes de la région de Djelfa (Algérie). Thèse de Doctorat, Univ. des Sciences de Rennes I, France, 247 pp.
Zamoum M. & Demolin G. 2004. Mécanismes de régulation des populations de la processionnaire du pin, Thaumetopoea pity-ocampa Denis & Schiffermüller (Lep., Thaumetopoeidae) en zone semi-aride (Algérie). Annales de Institut National de Recherche en Génie Rural Eaux et For˛ets, Tunisie 6: 155–173
Zamoum M. & Demolin G. 2005. The life cycle of the pine processionary caterpillar in the bioclimatic conditions of a sub-Saharan region, Part 3. pp. 107–116. In Lieutier F. & Ghaioule D. (eds), Entomological Research in Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, INRA, Paris, France, 272 pp. ISBN: 2-7380-1194-2
Zovi D., Petruco Toffolo E., De Gol D., Schlyter F. & Battisti A. 2005. Tree apparency and host location by Thaume-topoea pityocampa on Pinus nigra. Comm. Meeting Promoth, France, p. 23. In: UE RTD Project–Quality of Life and Management of Living Resources, Global change and pine proces-sionary moth: a new challenge for integrated pest management, Promoth, QLK5-CT-2002-00852, Scientific programme and abstracts, Multifunctional management of forests, Bel-godère, Calvi, Corsica, France.
Acknowledgements
This work is dedicated to the memory of Guy Demolin and Paul Du Merle Directors, researches of the National Institute of Agronomic Research (Avignon, France). This study was supported by the scientific collaboration project between INRF Algeria and INRA France. We are very grateful to Prof. Andrea Battisti, Padova University (Italy), for his critical review of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zamoum, M., Martin, JC. & Bensidi, A. Fecundity of the pine processionary moth Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) at the southern edge of its distribution range. Biologia 70, 386–392 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2015-0036
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/biolog-2015-0036