Secretion of Spodoptera littoralis female reproductive system on deposited egg masses that possibly acts as oviposition deterring substance for conspecific females

Abstract

Egg masses laid by Spodoptera littoralis mated female moths were extracted by petroleum ether (PE), ethanol (E) and Ringer's solution (RS). Egg-wash extracts were evaporated and the weights of crude materials were obtained. Different aqueous concentrations were made. The amount of extracted material increased as the weight of eggs used increased and vice versa. Coating Nerium oleander leaves with aqueous egg-wash extracts prepared from S. littoralis egg-masses deterred the mated conspecific female moths from ovipositing their eggs on treated leaves, as well as causing a decrease in the total number of deposited eggs per female during the moth's life span. The highest deterrent effect on conspecific female moths to oviposit their eggs was obtained after treatment of N. oleander leaves with PE or E egg-wash extract. The deterrent effects of the tested egg-wash extracts was concentration dependant; an increase in the concentration of any extract caused an obvious decrease in the number of deposited egg-masses and the total number of laid eggs on the treated N. oleander leaves.

Keywords:

• Egyptian cotton leaf worm
• Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.)
• female moth
• oviposition deterrent
• egg-wash extracts