Diapause and quiescence in Lutzomyia diabolica (Diptera:Psychodidae)

Gravid, laboratory-reared Lutzomyia diabolica from Garner State Park, Texas, oviposited from May to December in an outdoor colony cage at Gainesville, Florida. Egg batches contained 100% fast-developing (nondiapause) eggs, a mixture of fast-developing and slow-developing (diapause) eggs, or 100% slow-developing eggs, depending on the time of year laid. The percent diapause eggs per batch increased from 0% in early October to 100% by December. These observations suggest that Lu. diabolica is a long-day species, depositing diapause eggs in response to shorter day length. Temperature may also modify the degree of diapause response by altering the calendar position of the critical day length. Termination of the winter diapause is probably temperature dependent. Quiescence was observed in 3rd and 4th stage larvae in both indoor and outdoor cultures and was usually associated with adverse conditions such as excessive moisture, extreme temperatures, or poor diet.