Consistent Trait-Temperature Interactions Drive Butterfly Phenology in Both Incidental and Survey Data

Data availability limits phenological research at broad temporal and spatial extents. Butterflies are among the few taxa with broad-scale occurrence data, from both incidental reports and formal surveys. Incidental reports have observation biases that are challenging to address, but structured surveys are often limited seasonally and may not span full flight phenologies. Thus, which data source is more useful for phenological analyses is unclear. We use parallel analyses of incidental and survey data to determine how traits and climate drive phenological patterns for common butterflies. One workflow aggregated “Pollard” surveys, where sites are visited multiple times per year; the other aggregated incidental data from online portals: iNaturalist and eButterfly. For 40 routinely observed resident species, we estimated early (10%) and mid (50%) flight period metrics, and compared the spatiotemporal patterns and drivers of phenology across species and between datasets. Results were similar between datasets. Inter-annual variability was best explained by temperature, and seasonal emergence was earlier for resident species that overwinter at more advanced stages. Other traits had mixed or no impacts. The consistency in results suggests that data integration can improve phenological research, and leveraging traits may predict phenology in poorly studied species.

Secrecy Energy-Efficient UAV Communication via Trajectory Design and Power Control

This paper investigates the problem of maximizing the secrecy energy efficiency (SEE) for unmanned aerial vehicle- (UAV-) to-ground wireless communication system, in which a fixed-wing UAV tries to transmit covert information to a terrestrial legitimate destination receiver with multiple terrestrial eavesdroppers. In particular, we intend to maximize the worst-case SEE of UAV by jointly optimizing UAV’s flight trajectory and transmit power over a finite flight period. However, the formulated problem is challenging to solve because of its large-scale nonconvexity. For efficiently solving this problem, we first decouple the above optimization problem into two subproblems and then propose an alternating iterative algorithm by adopting block coordinate descent method and Dinkelbach’s algorithm as well as successive convex approximation technique to seek a suboptimal solution. For the sake of performance comparison, two benchmark schemes, the secrecy rate maximization (SRM) scheme and constrained energy minimization (CEM) scheme are considered to obtain more useful insights. Finally, simulation results are executed to verify that our proposed SEE maximization (SEEM) algorithm is superior to two benchmark schemes for the UAV-ground communication system.

An annotated checklist of the Crambidae of the region of Murcia (Spain) with new records, distribution and biological data (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea, Crambidae)

The Murcia Region (osouth-eastern Iberian Peninsula) has a great diversity of Lepidopteran fauna, as a zoogeographical crossroads and biodiversity hotspot with more than 850 butterflies and moth species recorded. In the present paper, based on an examination of museum specimens, published records and new samples, a comprehensive and critical species list of Crambidae moths (Lepidoptera: Pyraloidea) is synthesised. In total, 8 subfamilies, 50 genera and 106 species have been recorded and these are listed along with their collection, literature references and biological data including chorotype, voltinism and the flight period in the study area. The subfamilies are as follows: Acentropinae, Crambinae, Glaphyriinae, Lathrotelinae, Odontiinae, Pyraustinae, Scopariinae and Spilomelinae. Forty nine species are here newly recorded for the Murcia Region.

Factors affecting Thaumetopoea pityocampa emergence in laboratory conditions

To investigate the factors affecting the emergence of the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) in laboratory conditions, a number of 1487 larvae, prepupae and pupae were collected in the period February-May 2019 from five pest habitats: Fotinovo and Kandilka villages (inhabited by a summer phenological form), Sandanski and Klisura towns (winter phonological form occurs) and Sarnak village (both forms occur). At the date of collection, the rate of parasitism was very low (0-0.1%). Throughout the study, significant differences in the characteristics of pupal stage and mortality between both phenological forms were established. The rate of emerged adults varied from 21.4% to 77.6% in the observed habitats. The sex ratio between female and male specimens was almost equal. Only 0.6% of samples emerged in the second year, after diapause. In four localities (Fotinovo, Kandilka, Sandanski and Sarnak), the rate of infection by entomopathogens was between 6.0% and 20.8%, and the parasitism caused by tachinids – between 0.9% and 3.4%. The flight period of the summer and winter phenological forms of T. pityocampa were clearly differentiated with about a month. In summer form, the flight began in late May and ended in the last decade of June, and in winter form – from early July to the end of August. The duration of the flight period in both forms lasted 30 to 50 days with an equal number of emerged male and female specimens.

Responses of the pest Drosophila suzukii population to environmental variables in southern Spain (Granada, Andalusia) – results of a pilot study

In this study conducted in Granada province in southern Spain, we analysed the flying activity and sex-ratio variability of the invasive pest Drosophila suzukii (the spotted wing drosophila) in the context of environmental factors and compared it with co-occurring Drosophilidae in a village garden. The studied D. suzukii population showed overwintering capabilities and successful maintenance in village garden with non-crop plants. Its flight period showed two peaks: female-biased, in November, and male-biased, in May. The sex ratio varied throughout the year and was mostly female-biased. We observed the effect of temperature on Drosophilidae and rainfall and temperature on the D. suzukii. Catches of the studied species were minimal at the minimal temperatures below 0 °C, and absent or near absent when the maximal temperature exceeded 30 °C. Moreover, we did not observe D. suzukii in samples when the minimum temperature below 0 °C was combined with heavy rainfall. The spotted wing drosophila seems to be more sensitive to precipitation than native Drosophilidae, as its proportion in the samples decreased with increasing rainfall. This pest also shows more pronounced short peaks in which it makes an important proportion of the biocoenosis of in comparison with other Drosophilidae.

286 Pilot Sleep During Brazil-to-China COVID-19 Humanitarian Mission Flights Compared to Biomathematical Predictions of Sleep

Introduction n response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Azul Airlines organized and conducted five separate humanitarian missions to China between May and July, 2020. Each mission consisted of 4 flight legs between 11-15 hours long crewed by a team of 8 pilots. Each pilot was given a 9-hour sleep opportunity during the flight period. Prior to conducting the missions, a sleep-prediction algorithm (AutoSleep) within the Sleep, Activity, Fatigue, and Task Effectiveness (SAFTE) model Fatigue Avoidance Scheduling Tool (FAST) was used to predict in-flight time in bed (TIB) and total sleep time (TST). During missions, pilots wore a wrist actigraph and completed a sleep diary. These analyses compare the accuracy of SAFTE-FAST AutoSleep predictions against pilots’ sleep diary and actigraphy from Azul’s COVID-19 humanitarian missions. Methods Pilots wore a sleep-tracking actigraphy device (Zulu Watch, Institutes for Behavior Resources), and reported the TIB and sleep quality of their in-flight rest periods using a sleep diary. Diary TST was estimated from TIB and sleep quality. AutoSleep, diary, and actigraphy measures were compared using paired samples t-tests. Agreement was compared using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results Twenty (n=20) pilots flying across 5 humanitarian missions provided sleep diary and actigraphy data. AutoSleep predictions of TIB (235±20 minutes) and TST (193±16 minutes) were significantly lower than diary (TIB: 330±123, t=6.80, p≤0.001; TST: 262±108, t=5.60, p≤0.001) and comparable to actigraphy (TIB: 246±127, t=0.78, p=0.43; TST: 212±113, t=1.59, p=0.12). ICC values were >0.90, indicating excellent agreement, for TIB (0.94) and TST (0.91). Conclusion Biomathematical predictions of in-flight sleep during unprecedented humanitarian missions were in agreement with actual sleep patterns during flights. These findings indicate that biomathematical models may retain accuracy even under extreme circumstances like the COVID-19 pandemic. Pilots may overestimate the amount of sleep that they receive during extreme flights-duty periods, which could constitute a fatigue risk. Support (if any) NA

Species traits affect phenological responses to climate change in a butterfly community

Diverse taxa have undergone phenological shifts in response to anthropogenic climate change. While such shifts generally follow predicted patterns, they are not uniform, and interspecific variation may have important ecological consequences. We evaluated relationships among species’ phenological shifts (mean flight date, duration of flight period), ecological traits (larval trophic specialization, larval diet composition, voltinism), and population trends in a butterfly community in Pennsylvania, USA, where the summer growing season has become warmer, wetter, and longer. Data were collected over 7–19 years from 18 species or species groups, including the extremely rare eastern regal fritillary Speyeria idalia idalia. Both the direction and magnitude of phenological change over time was linked to species traits. Polyphagous species advanced and prolonged the duration of their flight period while oligophagous species delayed and shortened theirs. Herb feeders advanced their flight periods while woody feeders delayed theirs. Multivoltine species consistently prolonged flight periods in response to warmer temperatures, while univoltine species were less consistent. Butterflies that shifted to longer flight durations, and those that had polyphagous diets and multivoltine reproductive strategies tended to decline in population. Our results suggest species’ traits shape butterfly phenological responses to climate change, and are linked to important community impacts.

Comparison of two criteria on the essential number calculation of Andrena camellia

Andrena camellia Wu is one of the primary pollinators of Camellia oleifera A. in China. In this paper, the essential number of individuals for efficient pollination by this species was calculated via two criteria, based on various indicators including counts of pollen grains in provisions, from single visits, and from single foraging trips overall; single flower visit duration; single flight period duration; number of eggs laid by a single female over their lifetime; and the average number of flowers per plant. Based on the number of pollen grains collected per flower visit, the essential number of females necessary is 2107 in a 1-ha Camellia oleifera garden with 1800 plants, while only 1998 female individuals are essentially needed when estimated based on the mean number of pollen grains collected in a single flight period. We argue that the essential number estimated by the former method is more reasonable and accurate for practical applications.