Effects of age and temperature on calling behavior of carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae, zell. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) under laboratory conditions.

The sexual calling behaviour of Ectomyelois ceratoniae, (zell.) was observed in the laboratory under 16L: 8D photoperiodic regime and three different constant temperatures, 20, 25 and 30 degrees C. E. ceratoniae, females showed a broad late-scotophase peak of calling activity without any calling throughout the photophase. Most females started calling during the eclosion day on, regardless of the temperature. With increasing age, moths initiated calling significantly earlier at night and the mean time spent calling increased significantly on successive days of calling. There was an inverse relationship between mean time spent calling and mean onset time of calling (r = -0.8079, p < 0.0001) and these parameters significantly affected by age and square of temperature.