Volume: 4, 2025
4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: E010
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.E010
Published online: 9 April 2025
ICDSUPL, 4, E010 (2025)
Two types of winter diapause in aphids
Martyna Materowska1*, Roma Durak1
1 Faculty of Biology and Nature Protection, University of Rzeszów, Pigonia 1, 35-310 Rzeszów, Poland
* Corresponding author: mmaterowska@ur.edu.pl
Abstract
Holocyclic aphid species reproduce parthenogenetically from spring to autumn, but to avoid unfavorable conditions in winter they lay eggs. Aphid eggs overwinter, and the embryos inside the egg undergo a process of diapause. The main feature of diapause is arrest of development and slowdown of metabolism. In most insects, during diapause, development stops completely. Studies show that the “reasting stage” may not occur in some aphids species. Spring hatching should be correlated with host phenology and allow hatched nymphs to avoid starvation. The aim of the study was to identify the course of diapause of selected species of aphids associated with plants of different phenology. Experiments were conducted on two aphis species: Brachycorynella asparagi which is a significant pest of asparagus in Europe and Appendiseta robiniae feeding on black locust. Parthenogenetic aphis were collected and bred in natural conditions during Summer. In Autumn when females started laying eggs, date of laying were monitored and eggs were divided into research samples since 16th day of development every 7 days. Eggs were frozen on the specified dates. embryos were obtained by fixing the eggs in a buffer and then extracted using dissecting needles. Embryos were immunostained using polyclonal antibody, and then embryos were measured and analysed used confocal microscope. We observed two different types of embryo development. In B. asparagii we observed mitotic cells since day 16. From day 77 cuticle was observed. A. robiniae embryos developed differently, no mitotic cells were observed until day 98, embryos started development since day 105, cuticle was observed from day 154. Diapause with slowly constant development was described in only few aphis species. So far, the course of diapause has been described in only a few species of aphids, but on their basis it can be concluded that the type of diapause is correlated with phenology of host plant. Continuous development is a characteristic feature of species feeding on early spring plants e. g. A. pisum which feed on Fabaceae plants that develop very early in a spring. This will prevent newly hatched nymphs from being exposed to periods of hunger. Aphids can exhibit different patterns of embryonic development during winter diapause. In some species, embryos develop continuously, while in others development stops.
Keywords: aphis, diapause, wintering
How to cite
M. Materowska, R. Durak, 2025. Two types of winter diapause in aphids. In: 4th International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL4.E010