The movement behavior of insects characterizes their ability to disperse, establish, compete, forage, seek mates, and ultimately reproduce. Understanding the movement of invasive insects is particularly important for developing management policies. We conducted laboratory experiments in Minnesota, USA to determine how host type and food deprivation affected the movement of late instars of the European gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), an invasive forest insect in North America. Gypsy moth larvae can feed on over 300 species of trees and shrubs. During outbreaks food availability to conspecifics can become severely restricted as developing instars consume increasing amounts of foliage. Larvae were raised on one of five foods: Quercus macrocarpa, Larix laricina, Acer platanoides, Acer saccharinum, or artificial diet. Subsets of fifth and sixth instar larvae were also deprived of food for zero, 24, or 48 h. After the food deprivation period, late instar larvae were placed on a servosphere and their movement paths were recorded. Larvae raised on Q. macrocarpa, a preferred host, were unlikely to move unless starved. They moved farther the longer they were starved. In contrast, when larvae were raised on less preferred hosts, they were more likely to move without prior starvation. These results suggest that feeding on optimal hosts provides gypsy moth larvae with the energy and nutritional requirements to move more quickly to more food when there is none immediately available.

中文翻译：

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树叶类型和剥夺改变晚龄欧洲吉普赛蛾 Lymantria dispar（鳞翅目：Erebidae）的运动行为

昆虫的运动行为表征了它们分散、建立、竞争、觅食、寻找配偶和最终繁殖的能力。了解入侵昆虫的运动对于制定管理政策尤为重要。我们在美国明尼苏达州进行了实验室实验，以确定宿主类型和食物匮乏如何影响欧洲吉普赛蛾 Lymantria dispar（鳞翅目：Erebidae）（北美的一种入侵森林昆虫）晚龄的运动。吉普赛蛾幼虫可以以 300 多种树木和灌木为食。在爆发期间，由于发育中的龄期消耗越来越多的树叶，同种动物的食物供应可能会受到严重限制。幼虫是用五种食物中的一种饲养的：大果栎、落叶松、Acer platanoides、Acer saccharinum 或人工饮食。五龄和六龄幼虫的子集也被剥夺了零、24 或 48 小时的食物。在食物剥夺期之后，晚龄幼虫被放置在伺服球上并记录它们的运动路径。在 Q. macrocarpa 上饲养的幼虫是首选宿主，除非饿了，否则不太可能移动。他们挨饿的时间越长，他们走得越远。相比之下，当幼虫在不太喜欢的宿主上饲养时，它们更有可能在没有饥饿的情况下移动。这些结果表明，以最佳宿主为食可以为吉普赛蛾幼虫提供能量和营养需求，以便在没有立即可用的食物时更快地转移到更多食物中。晚龄幼虫被放置在伺服球上并记录它们的运动路径。在 Q. macrocarpa 上饲养的幼虫是首选宿主，除非饿了，否则不太可能移动。他们挨饿的时间越长，他们就越远。相比之下，当幼虫在不太喜欢的宿主上饲养时，它们更有可能在没有饥饿的情况下移动。这些结果表明，以最佳宿主为食可以为吉普赛蛾幼虫提供能量和营养需求，以便在没有立即可用的食物时更快地转移到更多食物中。晚龄幼虫被放置在伺服球上并记录它们的运动路径。在 Q. macrocarpa 上饲养的幼虫是首选宿主，除非饿了，否则不太可能移动。他们挨饿的时间越长，他们走得越远。相比之下，当幼虫在不太喜欢的宿主上饲养时，它们更有可能在没有饥饿的情况下移动。这些结果表明，以最佳宿主为食可以为吉普赛蛾幼虫提供能量和营养需求，以便在没有立即可用的食物时更快地转移到更多食物中。