Larval nutrition affects lipid storage and growth, but not protein or carbohydrate storage in newly eclosed adults of the grasshopper Schistocerca americana

Effect of larval nutrition on the hemolymph protein composition during metamorphosis of Anastrepha obliqua

Few studies have focused on how nutrition affects the bioavailability and investment of protein during the metamorphosis of tephritids. Our study allowed us to observe how the type and particle size of the bulking agent affected the protein composition in the hemolymph of the larva and adult of Anastrepha obliqua. Results indicated that, true protein bioavailability and protein profile was greatly modified by the bulking agent and its particle size. The physical structure of the food matrix affected the content of crude fiber (F), crude protein (P), F/P ratio, non-protein nitrogen, ammoniacal nitrogen, and α-amylase and trypsin inhibitors. Results from SDS-PAGE revealed 45 fractions with well-defined bands ranging from ~28 to ~401 kDa in larvae and adults, we found the main differences between the samples from different food matrices within the 75-100 kDa range. Hemolymph of adults from the coarse coconut fiber food matrix treatment showed a single band with a molecular weight close to 250 kDa, probably associated with a storage protein such as lipophorins. The food matrix with a coarse bulking agent had a high concentration of ammoniacal nitrogen, suggesting high microbial activity. In conclusion, the particle size of the bulking agent of the food matrix changes the bioavailability of protein in hemolymph in the adult regardless of the total concentration of protein. Also, when the particle size of the bulking agent favored the F/P ratio, higher larval density resulted in higher individual larval weight, larval yield, and adult emergence.

The evolution of adult pollen feeding did not alter postembryonic growth in Heliconius butterflies

For many animals, the availability and provision of dietary resources can vary markedly between juvenile and adult stages, often leading to a temporal separation of nutrient acquisition and use. Juvenile developmental programs are likely limited by the energetic demands of many adult tissues and processes with early developmental origins. Enhanced dietary quality in the adult stage may, therefore, alter selection on life history and growth patterns in juvenile stages. Heliconius are unique among butterflies in actively collecting and digesting pollen grains, which provide an adult source of essential amino acids. The origin of pollen feeding has therefore previously been hypothesized to lift constraints on larval growth rates, allowing Heliconius to spend less time as larvae when they are most vulnerable to predation. By measuring larval and pupal life-history traits across three pollen-feeding and three nonpollen-feeding Heliconiini, we provide the first test of this hypothesis. Although we detect significant interspecific variation in larval and pupal development, we do not find any consistent shift associated with pollen feeding. We discuss how this result may fit with patterns of nitrogen allocation, the benefits of nitrogenous stores, and developmental limitations on growth. Our results provide a framework for studies aiming to link innovations in adult Heliconius to altered selection regimes and developmental programs in early life stages.

Impacts of larval host plant species on dispersal traits and free-flight energetics of adult butterflies

Animals derive resources from their diet and allocate them to organismal functions such as growth, maintenance, reproduction, and dispersal. How variation in diet quality can affect resource allocation to life-history traits, in particular those important to locomotion and dispersal, is poorly understood. We hypothesize that, particularly for specialist herbivore insects that are in co-evolutionary arms races with host plants, changes in host plant will impact performance. From their coevolutionary arms-race with plants, to a complex migratory life history, Monarch butterflies are among the most iconic insect species worldwide. Population declines initiated international conservation efforts involving the replanting of a variety of milkweed species. However, this practice was implemented with little regard for how diverse defensive chemistry of milkweeds experienced by monarch larvae may affect adult fitness traits. We report that adult flight muscle investment, flight energetics, and maintenance costs depend on the host plant species of larvae, and correlate with concentration of milkweed-derived cardenolides sequestered by adults. Our findings indicate host plant species can impact monarchs by affecting fuel requirements for flight.

The growth of muscle and flight performance in monarch butterflies is influenced by the plant species the larvae grow on.

When does diet matter? The roles of larval and adult nutrition in regulating adult size traits in Drosophila melanogaster

Adult body size is determined by the quality and quantity of nutrients available to animals. In insects, nutrition affects adult size primarily during the nymphal or larval stages. However, measures of adult size like body weight are likely to also change with adult nutrition. In this study, we sought to explore the roles of nutrition throughout the life cycle on adult body weight and the size of two appendages, the wing and the femur, in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We manipulated nutrition in two ways: by varying the protein to carbohydrate content of the diet, called macronutrient restriction, and by changing the caloric density of the diet, termed caloric restriction. We employed a fully factorial design to manipulate both the larval and adult diets for both diet types. We found that manipulating the larval diet had greater impacts on all measures of adult size. Further, macronutrient restriction was more detrimental to adult size than caloric restriction. For adult body weight, a rich adult diet mitigated the negative effects of poor larval nutrition for both types of diets. In contrast, small wing and femur size caused by poor larval diet could not be increased with the adult diet. Taken together, these results suggest that appendage size is fixed by the larval diet, while those related to body composition remain sensitive to adult diet. Further, our studies provide a foundation for understanding how the nutritional environment of juveniles affects how adults respond to diet.

Effects of Different Nutritional Conditions on the Growth and Reproduction of Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)

Growth and reproduction are the two most basic life processes of organisms and the distribution of energy in these processes is a core issue of the life history of organisms. Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), the brown planthopper (BPH), is a single-feeding rice pest. In the present study, this species was used as a model for testing the effects of nutritional conditions on various growth and reproduction indicators. First, the third-instar nymphs were fed with three different concentrations (100, 50, and 25%) of artificial diet until the second day of adulthood. The results showed that as the nutrient concentration decreased, the body development and oviposition of BPH were hindered. The total lipid content in the fat bodies was also significantly reduced. RT-PCR analysis showed compared to the 100% concentration group, the expression levels of vitellogenin (Vg) genes in the fifth-instar nymphs, adults, and in different tissues (ovary, fat body, and other tissues) were significantly decreased in the 50 and 25% treatment groups. Western blot analysis showed that Vg protein expression was highest in the 100% group, followed by the 50% group, with no expression in the 25% group. These results indicate that growth and reproduction in the BPH are regulated by, or correlated with, nutrient concentration. This study is of great significance as it reveals the adaptive strategies of the BPH to nutritional deficiencies and it also provides valuable information for the comprehensive control of this pest.

Optimization of a Diet for the Greater Wax Moth (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Using Full Factorial and Mixture Design

Diet optimization is an important process to increase the efficiency of rearing insects and can be used to develop high-quality insects with specific fitness and life-history traits. Galleria mellonella (L.), the greater wax moth, is widely used in research, microbiology assays, as pet food, and host for biological control agents. Although artificial diets for G. mellonella have been researched and optimized for decades, preliminary tests indicated that the predominantly utilized G. mellonella diet could be improved to yield larger larvae with a short development time. We used a design of experiments (DOE) approach that incorporated multiple full factorial designs and a final mixture design to test the qualitative and quantitative effects of ingredients and their interactions on larval mass and survival. Analysis of 17 ingredient variations in 35 diet formulations yielded an optimized diet that supported high survival and 2.4-fold greater larval body mass than the standard rearing diet. This study demonstrates the importance and efficiency of statistical DOE in guiding the optimization of insect diets to improve traits that represent the quality and fitness of the reared insects.

Effects of Starvation on the Levels of Triglycerides, Diacylglycerol, and Activity of Lipase in Male and Female Drosophila Melanogaster

We studied the effects of starvation on changes in neutral lipids in male and female Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) at different ages. When flies were subjected to starvation, the mortality rate was observed to be age- and gender-dependent: male flies died earlier as compared to female flies, and older flies died earlier than younger flies. There was an increase in the number of dead flies and the levels of diacylglycerol (DG) with starvation time. This increase in DG was observed much earlier in male flies as compared to female flies, which correlated with earlier death in male flies during starvation in comparison to female flies. We also analyzed the levels of triglycerides (TG) and lipase activity during starvation of flies. The levels of TG decreased depending upon the duration of starvation in both male and female flies. Interestingly, we observed that like DG, there was also an increase in lipase activity due to starvation, which also correlated with earlier death in male flies as compared to female flies. Our results suggest that increase in DG levels and lipase activity due to starvation may be the main cause of death in the flies.

Determining the effects of nutrition on the reproductive physiology of male mosquitoes

Nutrition affects multiple aspects of insect physiology such as body size and fecundity, but we lack a detailed understanding of how nutrition influences the reproductive physiology of male insects such as mosquitoes. Given that female mosquitoes are vectors of many deadly diseases and can quickly proliferate, understanding how male nutrition impacts female fecundity could be of critical importance. To uncover the relationship between nutrition in adult male mosquitoes and its impacts on reproductive physiology, we reared larvae of the Northern house mosquito, Culex pipiens, on a standard lab diet and divided adult males among three different dietary treatments: low (3%), moderate (10%), and high (20%) sucrose. We found that although overall body size did not differ among treatments, one-week-old males raised on the 3% sucrose diet had significantly smaller male accessory glands (MAGs) compared to males that consumed the 10% and the 20% sucrose diets. Diet affected whole-body lipid content but did not affect whole-body protein content. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, we found that diet altered the metabolic composition of the MAGs, including changes in lactic acid, formic acid, and glucose. We also observed changes in protein and lipid abundance and composition in MAGs. Females who mated with males on the 3% diet were found to produce significantly fewer larvae than females who had mated with males on the 10% diet. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the diet of adult male mosquitoes clearly affects male reproductive physiology and female fecundity.

Nutritional requirements for reproduction and survival in the blowfly Lucilia sericata

Insects with access to finite energy resources must allocate these between maintenance and reproduction in a way that maximizes fitness. This will be influenced by a range of life-history characteristics and the environment in which any particular insect species lives. In the present study, females of the blowfly Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were fed diets differing in protein and carbohydrate (sucrose) content and the allocation of lipid to reproduction was quantified using a spectrophotometric method of analysis. Immediately after adult emergence, total body lipid, scaled for differences in body size, showed an initial decline as it was utilized to meet the metabolic demands of cuticle deposition, muscle maturation and then flight. When flies were denied access to sucrose, stored lipid then continued to decrease until flies died, usually within 4 days of emergence. However, flies given access to sucrose were able to increase body lipid content, demonstrating that carbohydrate is essential for homeostasis and that it can be used to synthesize lipid. Nevertheless, female flies fed sucrose only were unable to synthesize egg yolk. Only flies provided with protein were able to mature eggs. However, the rate of egg maturation and number and size of eggs matured were greater for female flies given liver compared with flies provided with pure whey protein powder. The results demonstrate the importance of different dietary components for different elements of the life-history of L. sericata, namely survival and reproduction.

Age, sex, adult and larval diet shape starvation resistance in the Mediterranean fruit fly: an ecological and gerontological perspective

The ability of an animal to withstand periods of food deprivation is a key driver of invasion success (biodiversity), adaptation to new conditions, and a crucial determinant of senescence in populations. Starvation resistance (SR) is a highly plastic trait and varies in relation to environmental and genetic variables. However, beyond Drosophila, SR has been studied poorly. Exploiting an interesting model species in invasion and ageing studies-the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata)- we investigated how age, food and gender, shape SR in this species. We measured SR in adults feeding in rich and poor dietary conditions, which had been reared either on natural hosts or artificial larval diet, for every single day across their lifespan. We defined which factor is the most significant determinant of SR and we explored potential links between SR and ageing. We found that SR declines with age, and that age-specific patterns are shaped in relation to adult and larval diet. Females exhibited higher SR than males. Age and adult diet were the most significant determinants of SR, followed by gender and the larval diet. Starvation resistance proved to be a weak predictor of functional ageing. Possible underlying mechanisms, ecological and gerontological significance and potential applied benefits are discussed.

Influence of larval density and dietary nutrient concentration on performance, body protein, and fat contents of black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens)

Performance and body composition of insect larvae depend on quality and quantity of their diet, and on biotic factors such as larval density. We investigated the effect of dietary nutrient concentration and larval rearing density on survival, development, growth, and protein and fat contents of larvae of the black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae). Neonate larvae were fed with a low (NC1), intermediate (NC2), or high nutrient concentration (NC3), and with four rearing densities (50, 100, 200, or 400 larvae per container). Two feeding regimes (FR) were tested: in FR1, the amount of diet added during the experiment was based on the visually estimated larval mass present, whereas in FR2, a fixed feeding ration of 0.6 g of food per larva was applied at the start. FR1 resulted in food limitation, resulting in significantly lower body crude protein content on diet NC1 than on NC2 at larval densities 100 and 200. Larval crude fat content was higher on diets with higher nutrient concentration and at lower larval densities. For FR2, development time was shorter on diets with higher nutrient concentration and at lower larval densities. Individual larval weight and total larval yield increased with higher nutrient concentration at all four larval densities. At lower nutrient concentration, higher larval density resulted in higher individual larval weight and total larval yield, revealing an interaction between larval density and dietary quality. Larval crude protein content was higher at lower densities and lower nutrient concentration. Larval crude fat was higher at higher larval densities and nutrient concentrations. This study indicates that larval protein content is regulated within narrow limits, whereas larval crude fat content is strongly affected by nutrient concentration and by larval density.

Adaptation to divergent larval diets in the medfly, Ceratitis capitata

Variation in diet can influence the timing of major life-history events and can drive population diversification and ultimately speciation. Proximate responses of life histories to diet have been well studied. However, there are scant experimental data on how organisms adapt to divergent diets over the longer term. We focused on this omission by testing the responses of a global pest, the Mediterranean fruitfly, to divergent selection on larval diets of different nutritional profiles. Tests conducted before and after 30 generations of nutritional selection revealed a complex interplay between the effects of novel larval dietary conditions on both plastic and evolved responses. There were proximate-only responses to the larval diet in adult male courtship and the frequency of copulation. Males on higher calorie larval diets consistently engaged in more bouts of energetic courtship. In contrast, following selection, larval development time, and egg to adult survival showed evidence of evolved divergence between diet regimes. Adult body size showed evidence for adaptation, with flies being significantly heavier when reared on their "own" diet. The results show the multifaceted responses of individuals to dietary selection and are important in understanding the extreme generalism exhibited by the medfly.

Balancing of lipid, protein, and carbohydrate intake in a predatory beetle following hibernation, and consequences for lipid restoration

Carnivorous animals are known to balance their consumption of lipid and protein, and recent studies indicate that some mammalian carnivores also regulate their intake of carbohydrate. We investigated macronutrient balancing and lipid restoration following hibernation in the ground beetle Anchomenus dorsalis, hypothesizing that carbohydrates might be important energy sources upon hibernation when predator lipid stores are exhausted and prey are equally lean. We recorded the consumption of lipid, protein, and carbohydrate over nine days following hibernation, as the beetles foraged to refill their lipid stores. Each beetle was given the opportunity to regulate consumption from two semi-artificial foods differing in the proportion of two of the three macronutrients, while the third macronutrient was kept constant. When analyzing consumption of the three macronutrients on an energetic basis, it became apparent that the beetles regulated lipid and carbohydrate energy interchangeably and balanced the combined energy intake from the two macronutrients against protein intake. Restoration of lipid stores was independent of the availability of any specific macronutrient. However, the energetic consumption required to refill lipid stores was higher when a low proportion of lipids was ingested, suggesting that lipids were readily converted into lipid stores while there were energetic costs associated with converting carbohydrate and protein into stored lipids. Our experiment demonstrates that carbohydrates are consumed and regulated as a non-protein energy source by A. dorsalis despite an expectedly low occurrence of carbohydrates in their natural diet. Perhaps carbohydrates are in fact an overlooked supplementary energy source in the diet of carnivorous arthropods.

Direct and indirect genetic effects in life-history traits of flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum)

Indirect genetic effects (IGEs) are the basis of social interactions among conspecifics, and can affect genetic variation of nonsocial and social traits. We used flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum) of two phenotypically distinguishable populations to estimate genetic (co)variances and the effect of IGEs on three life-history traits: development time (DT), growth rate (GR), and pupal body mass (BM). We found that GR was strongly affected by social environment with IGEs accounting for 18% of the heritable variation. We also discovered a sex-specific social effect: male ratio in a group significantly affected both GR and BM; that is, beetles grew larger and faster in male-biased social environments. Such sex-specific IGEs have not previously been demonstrated in a nonsocial insect. Our results show that beetles that achieve a higher BM do so via a slower GR in response to social environment. Existing models of evolution in age-structured or stage-structured populations do not account for IGEs of social cohorts. It is likely that such IGEs have played a key role in the evolution of developmental plasticity shown by Tenebrionid larvae in response to density. Our results document an important source of genetic variation for GR, often overlooked in life-history theory.

Effects of Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) Feeding, Size, and Lipid Content on Egg Maturation

The glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis) is synovigenic and must feed as an adult to produce eggs. Egg maturation rates depend on the host plant species provided to the adult female for feeding and are variable for females provided with the same host plant species. Here, the contribution of female size and lipid content to variation in egg maturation rates among females held on the same host plant species was assessed. To assess effects of female size and lipid content on egg maturation, feeding assays followed by measurements of egg load, female size, and lipid content were conducted. To accomplish this, females were field collected and held on cowpea until producing approximately 0, 12, 25, or 50 ml of excreta. After reaching prescribed excreta thresholds, females were dissected to determine egg load, hind tibia length, and head capsule width. Mature eggs were removed from the abdomen and dry weight of eggs and bodies (head, thorax, and abdomen) were obtained. Lipid content of eggs and bodies were determined using a quantitative colorimetric assay. Rates of body weight gain and body lipid gain were rapid with low levels of feeding (12 ml of excreta) but decelerated with additional feeding (>12 ml of excreta). In contrast, low levels of feeding (12 ml of excreta) resulted in little egg production, with rates of egg production accelerating with additional feeding (>12 ml of excreta). Accordingly, egg production was preceded by an increase in body dry weight and body lipid content. In agreement, probability that a female carried eggs increased with body lipid content in the 0-, 12-, and 25-ml feeding treatments. Across treatments, larger females carried more eggs than smaller females. Collectively, results suggest that variation in glassy-winged sharpshooter egg maturation rates partially may be explained by availability of lipid reserves at the start of a feeding bout and female size.

Occurrence of a mosquito vector in bird houses: Developmental consequences and potential epidemiological implications

Even with continuous vector control, dengue is still a growing threat to public health in Southeast Asia. Main causes comprise difficulties in identifying productive breeding sites and inappropriate targeted chemical interventions. In this region, rural families keep live birds in backyards and dengue mosquitoes have been reported in containers in the cages. To focus on this particular breeding site, we examined the capacity of bird fecal matter (BFM) from the spotted dove, to support Aedes albopictus larval growth. The impact of BFM larval uptake on some adult fitness traits influencing vectorial capacity was also investigated. In serial bioassays involving a high and low larval density (HD and LD), BFM and larval standard food (LSF) affected differently larval development. At HD, development was longer in the BFM environment. There were no appreciable mortality differences between the two treatments, which resulted in similar pupation and adult emergence successes. BFM treatment produced a better gender balance. There were comparable levels of blood uptake and egg production in BFM and LSF females at LD; that was not the case for the HD one, which resulted in bigger adults. BFM and LSF females displayed equivalent lifespans; in males, this parameter was shorter in those derived from the BFM/LD treatment. Taken together these results suggest that bird defecations successfully support the development of Ae. albopictus. Due to their cryptic aspects, containers used to supply water to encaged birds may not have been targeted by chemical interventions.

The content of amino acids in artificial diet influences the development and reproduction of brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (STÅL)

Nitrogen availability from dietary protein has profound effects on the physiology and ecology of insect herbivores. The amount of amino acids consumed by Nilaparvata lugens impacts its phenotypic characteristics and reproduction. In this work, we hypothesized that amino acids deficiency leads to physiological trade-offs between survival and reproduction. We investigated the effect of larval nutrition on larval period, wing dimorphism, egg production, ovarian development, lifespan, and stored nutrients. Larvae were reared on the standard medium and an amino acid deficient medium (AADM), adults were reared on the standard medium. Nymphs reared on AADM had shorter larval period (20.78 d/23.09 d), higher brachypterous forms (34.06%/16.52%), the adults females were fed back on standard medium after emergency, they featured extended preoviposition period (11.41/13.45 d), declining number of laid eggs (2.27/37.44), ovarian dysplasia, and shorter lifespan compared with control group. Adults from both dietary treatment groups had approximately the same proportion of total lipids and protein nutrients carried over from larvae feeding into adulthood. We infer that N. lugens makes a physiological trade-off between survival and reproduction by suppressing ovarian development. This is probably a common strategy during times of nutritional deficiency in nature.

Does skipping a meal matter to a butterfly's appearance? Effects of larval food stress on wing morphology and color in monarch butterflies

In animals with complex life cycles, all resources needed to form adult tissues are procured at the larval stage. For butterflies, the proper development of wings involves synthesizing tissue during metamorphosis based on the raw materials obtained by larvae. Similarly, manufacture of pigment for wing scales also requires resources acquired by larvae. We conducted an experiment to test the effects of food deprivation in the larval stage on multiple measures of adult wing morphology and coloration of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), a species in which long-distance migration makes flight efficiency critical. In a captive setting, we restricted food (milkweed) from late-stage larvae for either 24 hrs or 48 hrs, then after metamorphosis we used image analysis methods to measure forewing surface area and elongation (length/width), which are both important for migration. We also measured the brightness of orange pigment and the intensity of black on the wing. There were correlations between several wing features, including an unexpected association between wing elongation and melanism, which will require further study to fully understand. The clearest effect of food restriction was a reduction in adult wing size in the high stress group (by approximately 2%). Patterns observed for other wing traits were ambiguous: monarchs in the low stress group (but not the high) had less elongated and paler orange pigmentation. There was no effect on wing melanism. Although some patterns obtained in this study were unclear, our results concerning wing size have direct bearing on the monarch migration. We show that if milkweed is limited for monarch larvae, their wings become stunted, which could ultimately result in lower migration success.

Comparative analysis of the macronutrient content of Central European ants (Formicidae): implications for ant-eating predators

Prey nutrient quality determines predator performance. Polyphagous predators can address nutritional challenges by targeting prey with specific nutrient composition, but prey-specialised predators (e.g., ant-eaters), must obtain all nutrients from limited array of prey. Analysis of published data on prey specificity of European ant-eating spiders showed that some feed only on one ant genus, while others feed on several genera. Spiders feeding on several ant genera can possibly balance nutrient intake by selecting different ant prey. But monophagous species must extract all prey from a single prey species and can only vary nutrient intake by feeding on specific body parts. Most ant-eating spider species are catching Formica, Lasius and Messor ants, suggesting that these are most profitable ant species. We evaluated the nutritional content of a variety of 16 Central European ant species belonging to 11 genera and four subfamilies. We found that the nutritional composition, namely the amount of carbon, nitrogen and lipids, of European ants is heterogeneous. The largest variation in the amount of carbon and lipids was among ant subfamilies and species, while the largest variation in nitrogen was among ant genera. The largest amount of carbon and nitrogen was typical for Myrmicinae and the largest amount of lipids were typical for Formicinae. Within ants, the relative amounts of lipids were significantly higher in the gaster while the contents of carbon and nitrogen were highest in foreparts. Ant species did not cluster in the ordination space according to their taxonomic relationship or trophic strategy.

Female size constrains egg size via the influence of reproductive organ size and resource storage in the seed beetle Callosobruchus chinensis

The standard egg size model predicts that a mother lays an optimal size of eggs in a given environment. However, there is evidence that larger females lay larger eggs across diverse animal taxa. This positive correlation suggests there are morphological constraints on egg size imposed by the size of the maternal organ through which eggs pass during oviposition. There is also evidence that large mothers that have greater capital resources produce large eggs. We tested whether morphological (ovipositor width) or physiological (maternal body weight as a measure of capital resources) mechanisms constrain egg size, using an inbred line of seed beetles, Callosobruchus chinensis. In addition, we tested whether having a wide ovipositor relative to body size is costly in terms of egg production. Egg width but not length increased with ovipositor width. Egg length and width increased with body weight. The cost of wider ovipositor was not detected. We conclude that females adjust egg size depending on capital resource level under the morphological constraint.

Effects of parental radiation exposure on developmental instability in grasshoppers

Mutagenic and epigenetic effects of environmental stressors and their transgenerational consequences are of interest to evolutionary biologists because they can amplify natural genetic variation. We studied the effect of parental exposure to radioactive contamination on offspring development in lesser marsh grasshopper Chorthippus albomarginatus. We used a geometric morphometric approach to measure fluctuating asymmetry (FA), wing shape and wing size. We measured time to sexual maturity to check whether parental exposure to radiation influenced offspring developmental trajectory and tested effects of radiation on hatching success and parental fecundity. Wings were larger in early maturing individuals born to parents from high radiation sites compared to early maturing individuals from low radiation sites. As time to sexual maturity increased, wing size decreased but more sharply in individuals from high radiation sites. Radiation exposure did not significantly affect FA or shape in wings nor did it significantly affect hatching success and fecundity. Overall, parental radiation exposure can adversely affect offspring development and fitness depending on developmental trajectories although the cause of this effect remains unclear. We suggest more direct measures of fitness and the inclusion of replication in future studies to help further our understanding of the relationship between developmental instability, fitness and environmental stress.

Triacylglyceride measurement in small quantities of homogenised insect tissue: comparisons and caveats

Triacylglycerides (TAGs) are the most important stored energy reserve in eukaryotes and are regularly measured in insects. Quantitative analysis of TAGs is complicated by their diversity of structure, and there are concerns with the quantitative accuracy of commonly used analytical methods. We used thin layer chromatography coupled to a flame ionisation detector (TLC-FID), an accurate method that is not sensitive to saturation or chain length of fatty acids, to quantify TAG content in small amounts of insect tissue, and used it to validate three high-throughput lipid assays (gravimetric, vanillin, and enzymatic). The performance of gravimetric assays depended on the solvent used. Folch reagent (chloroform: methanol 2:1 v/v) was a good index of TAG content, but overestimated lipid content due to the extraction of structural lipid and non-lipid components. Diethyl ether produced reasonable quantitative measurements but lacked precision and could not produce a repeatable rank-order of samples. The vanillin assay was accurate both as a quantitative method and as an index, preferably with a standard of mixed fatty acid composition. The enzymatic assay did not accurately or precisely quantify TAGs under our assay conditions. We conclude that the vanillin assay is suitable as a high-throughput method for quantifying TAG providing fatty acid composition does not change among treatment groups. However, if samples contain significant quantities of di- or mono-acylglycerides, or the fatty acid composition differs across treatment groups, TLC-FID is recommended.

The effects of larval nutrition on reproductive performance in a food-limited adult environment

It is often assumed that larval food stress reduces lifetime fitness regardless of the conditions subsequently faced by adults. However, according to the environment-matching hypothesis, a plastic developmental response to poor nutrition results in an adult phenotype that is better adapted to restricted food conditions than one having developed in high food conditions. Such a strategy might evolve when current conditions are a reliable predictor of future conditions. To test this hypothesis, we assessed the effects of larval food conditions (low, improving and high food) on reproductive fitness in both low and high food adults environments. Contrary to this hypothesis, we found no evidence that food restriction in larval ladybird beetles produced adults that were better suited to continuing food stress. In fact, reproductive rate was invariably lower in females that were reared at low food, regardless of whether adults were well fed or food stressed. Juveniles that encountered improving conditions during the larval stage compensated for delayed growth by accelerating subsequent growth, and thus showed no evidence of a reduced reproductive rate. However, these same individuals lost more mass during the period of starvation in adults, which indicates that accelerated growth results in an increased risk of starvation during subsequent periods of food stress.

Amino acids in nectar enhance longevity of female Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes

Culex mosquitoes feed on a wide range of nectars consisting of mostly carbohydrates and amino acids, however, little is known about the utilization and effects of these different carbohydrates and their accompanying amino acids on longevity. Culex quinquefasciatus larvae were reared on low- and high-quantity food diets to produce adults that were nutritionally representative of wild-caught and laboratory-reared mosquitoes. Emerging adults reared on low- or high-quantity food diets as larvae were then provided Lantana camara nectar mimics containing mixtures of carbohydrates and amino acids to evaluate effects of nectar amino acids on longevity. Carbohydrates (with or without amino acids) were a critical component of the adult diet, and in their absence, adult mosquitoes died within 3-5 days. The nectar mimic that contained both carbohydrates and amino acids did not increase adult longevity of males originating from either poorly or well-fed larvae. However, females receiving adult diets containing both carbohydrates and amino acids lived 5% longer than females fed adult diets with only sugar.

Larval nutrition affects life history traits in a capital breeding moth

Fitness depends not only on resource uptake but also on the allocation of these resources to various life history functions. This study explores the life-history consequences of larval diet in terms not only of larval performance but also of adult body composition and reproductive traits in the forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hübner). Caterpillars were reared on their preferred tree host, trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides), or on one of three artificial foods: high protein:low carbohydrate, equal protein-to-carbohydrate ratio or low protein:high carbohydrate. Survivorship, larval development rate and adult body size were lowest on the carbohydrate-biased diet and similar on the protein-biased and equal-ratio diets. Fecundity increased with body size but did not otherwise differ between diets. Moths reared on the carbohydrate-biased diet allocated a lower proportion of their mass to the ovaries and more to somatic growth whereas those on equal-ratio and protein-biased diets allocated more to reproductive tissue and less to somatic tissue. These differences in allocation to reproduction arose from differences in the size of eggs, an index of offspring quality. No differences were found in lipid and protein content of female ovaries, accessory glands or somatic tissue, or of the whole body of male moths. The findings show that physiological processes regulate the composition of the different components of the adult body. Diet effects occur as differences in overall body size and in relative allocation to these components. Although lepidopterans can, to a large extent, compensate post-ingestively for nutritionally deficient diets, investment in reproduction vs somatic growth depends on the nutrients available.

Sugar feeding via trehalose haemolymph concentration affects sex pheromone production in mated Heliothis virescens moths

Long-distance, female-produced sex pheromones are widespread among moths. Larval feeding provides most of the nutrients for development of these insects but is not thought to influence the de novo production of the fatty-acid derived compounds used as pheromones by most species. Feeding on plant nectar (sugar) by adult moths is important for increasing female fitness and also for the pollination of many plant species. In this paper, I show that feeding on sucrose solution, as opposed to water, increases sex pheromone titre in mated, but not virgin, female Heliothis virescens. Mating caused a rapid decrease in haemolymph trehalose concentration, which was restored to near-virgin levels by sugar ingestion. When isolated mated female abdomens were cultured with different concentrations of trehalose, pheromone titre increased with increasing trehalose concentration. This effect was not observed when abdomens were cultured on saline containing the sugar rhamnose,which insects cannot metabolise to glucose. Virgins injected with the juvenile hormone (JH) analogue, methoprene, showed the same effects as mated females with respect to pheromone titre and haemolymph trehalose concentration. Thus,following mating increases in JH titre increase demand for, and lowering of,blood sugar to develop oocytes, which can be compensated for by sugar ingestion. Haemolymph trehalose concentration probably influences glycolysis in gland cells and, consequently, levels of cytosolic citrate and acetyl-CoA for pheromone biosynthesis. This increase in pheromone titre in sugar-fed,mated females may facilitate further mating and increased fecundity. Thus,exogenous sugar feeding is behaviourally and physiologically integrated with endogenous JH titre to maximise female fitness.

Insect herbivore nutrient regulation

The primary reason animals, including insect herbivores, eat is to acquire a mix of nutrients needed to fuel the processes of growth, development, and reproduction. Most insect herbivores strongly regulate their nutrient intake when given the opportunity. When they are restricted to imbalanced diets, they employ regulatory rules that govern the extent to which nutrients occurring in excess or deficit are eaten. Insect herbivores also regularly encounter allelochemicals as they eat, and recent work indicates the effect an allelochemical has on nutrient regulation, and insect herbivore performance, is modified depending on a food's nutrient composition. Comparative studies of nutrient regulation suggest coexisting generalist herbivores occupy unique nutritional feeding niches, and work with pathogens and parasitoids has revealed the manner in which top-down pressures influence patterns of nutrient intake. Insect herbivores regulate their nutrient intake using pre- and postingestive mechanisms, plus learning, and there is evidence that some of these mechanisms are shaped by natural selection.

Lack of lipogenesis in parasitoids: a review of physiological mechanisms and evolutionary implications

The ability of organisms to adapt to fluctuating food conditions is essential for their survival and reproduction. Accumulating energy reserves, such as lipids, in anticipation of harsh conditions, will reduce negative effects of a low food supply. For Hymenoptera and Diptera, several parasitoid species lack adult lipogenesis, and are unable to store excess energy in the form of lipid reserves. The aim of this review is to provide a synthesis of current knowledge regarding the inability to accumulate lipids in parasitoids, leading to new insights and prospects for further research. We will emphasize physiological mechanisms underlying lack of lipogenesis, the evolution of this adaptation in parasitoids and its biological implications with regard to life history traits. We suggest the occurrence of lack of lipogenesis in parasitoids to be dependent on the extent of host exploitation through metabolic manipulation. Currently available data shows lack of lipogenesis to have evolved independently at least twice, in parasitic Hymenoptera and Diptera. The underlying genetic mechanism, however, remains to be solved. Furthermore, due to the inability to replenish adult fat reserves, parasitoids are severely constrained in resource allocation strategies, in particular the trade-off between survival and reproduction.

Development of black soldier fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae fed dairy manure

Black soldier flies, Hermetia illucens L., are a common colonizer of animal wastes. However, all published development data for this species are from studies using artificial diets. This study represents the first examining black soldier fly development on animal wastes. Additionally, this study examined the ability of black soldier fly larvae to reduce dry matter and associated nutrients in manure. Black soldier fly larvae were fed four rates of dairy manure to determine their effects on larval and adult life history traits. Feed rate affected larval and adult development. Those fed less ration daily weighed less than those fed a greater ration. Additionally, larvae provided the least amount of dairy manure took longer to develop to the prepupal stage; however, they needed less time to reach the adult stage. Adults resulting from larvae provided 27 g dairy manure/d lived 3-4 d less than those fed 70 g dairy manure. Percentage survivorship to the prepupal or adult stages did not differ across treatments. Larvae fed 27 g dairy manure daily reduced manure dry matter mass by 58%, whereas those fed 70 g daily reduced dry matter 33%. Black soldier fly larvae were able to reduce available P by 61-70% and N by 30-50% across treatments. Based on results from this study, the black soldier fly could be used to reduce wastes and associated nutrients in confined bovine facilities.