Factors influencing egg diapause in the twolined spittlebug (Prosapia bicincta) in Hawaii

Prosapia bicincta, Cercopidae, TLSB), is a serious pest of pastures in Hawaii. One of the foundational steps of developing an integrated pest management plan is understanding the ecology of the pest insect. Distinct TLSB seasonal patterns have been observed in Hawaii, suggesting they enter a winter diapause. Therefore, to properly time the implementation of control strategies, it is important to understand and predict synchrony and timing of the first-generation outbreak. Diapause eggs were sustained in environmental chambers and exposed to various temperatures and moisture levels to investigate their influence on the duration and termination of diapause. Eggs exposed to prolonged periods of drought followed by remoistening terminated diapause significantly sooner than eggs in the control treatment. This supports the hypothesis that the transition from the dry season to the rainy season is one of the primary signals for diapause termination. Thus, control methods would be most effective when administered at the onset of the rainy season. Ultimately, understanding the phenology of a pest insect can aid in maintaining ecosystem health by reducing conventional pesticide use and minimizing the impact of invasive pest species.