The flight capabilities of laboratory and tropical field populations of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

The duration of flight by Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) of tropical origin from field and laboratory populations was studied. Field insects (from the third generation on rice) flew longer and more readily than laboratorybred insects. The longest recorded flight, of 10·75 h, was by a female from the field. Laboratory-reared insects performed poorly even after only one generation in the laboratory. Flights that were started in the morning lasted longer than those started in the afternoon. Lift production varied between individuals and during a continuous flight. Individuals flying for over 150 min tended to produce more lift for a longer proportion of the flight than those flying for less than 10 min. The pattern of lift production appeared to be similar in successive flights, except in those following very long flights when the insect appeared to be exhausted. There was no tendency for the first flight to be the longest. Up to 28% loss of body weight was recorded (in a flight lasting 512 min) during flight. The results indicate that individuals from tropical field populations of N. lugens have the capacity for long range migration.