Hormonal control of adult diapause in the brown-winged green bug, Plautia stali Scott (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

After the corpora allata (CA) were extirpated from non-diapausing adults of the brown-winged green bug, Plautia stali SCOTT, the adult colouration changed to reddish-brown and development of ovaries in females and ectodermal accessory gland (ectadenia) in males was inhibited. Implantation of corpora cardiaca-corpora allata complexes (CC-CA) into diapausing adults induced a green colouration and development of ovaries and ectadenia. Topical application of synthetic juvenile hormone (JH) III showed a similar effect to the implantation. These results indicate that JH has a crucial role in the hormonal control of adult diapause in P. stali. Further, the transection of nervous connections between the brain and CC-CA in diapausing adults revealed a diapause-terminating effect as did CC-CA implantation and JH III application. This suggests that JH-secretory activity is inhibited by the brain via nervous connections in diapausing adults.