Effects of temperature on fecundity of nine lepidopteran species in Tiantong National Forest Park, Zhejiang Province, China

Detailed experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of temperature on fecundity of nine lepidopteran species in Tiantong National Forest Park, Zhejiang Province, China. In the temperature range of 19-28°C, nine lepidopteran moths laid eggs and the eggs hatched successfully, and the preoviposition period was shortened with the rising of temperature. The largest fecundity of Ourapteryx ebuleata szechuana and other seven lepidopteran species occurred at 22°C, while that of Miltochrista ziczac occured at 25°C. The period of the embryonic stages of the nine lepidopteran species were shortened with the rising of the temperature. O. ebuleata szechuana had a lower developmental threshold temperature at 9.52°C and a higher effective accumulated temperature of 120.82 degree-day, while the other 8 species got the developmental threshold temperature between 13.32°C to 14.72°C, and the effective accumulated temperature between 45.09 degree-day to 68.30 degree-day. The regressive equation of effective accumulated temperature obtained in the research could be used to preliminarily forecast the occurring of the nine lepidopterans.