The remarkable locomotory ability of Wiseana (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) pupae: an adaptation to predation and environmental conditions?

The effective management of insect pests requires an understanding of their basic biology and overall life cycle including all life stages. The pupal stage of Wiseana spp., a major pasture pest in New Zealand, has been neglected in terms of investigation in to its biology for almost a century. This study investigated the locomotory ability of the pupae of two Wiseana species (W. cervinata and W. copularis) inside artificial burrows. Descent time and speed were measured from digital images. Both species descended the tunnel in response to applied stimuli but W. cervinata descended slightly faster than W. copularis. This is the first study to quantify the movement of a ground-dwelling hepialid pupa inside a burrow.