Effect of prevention of flight on ovarian maturation and reproductive diapause in the olive fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Ovarian maturation is prevented in Bactrocera (Dacus) oleae (Gmelin) when preimaginal stages develop at 12:12 (L:D) h and 19 plus or minus 1 degree C and are kept as adults at 16:8 (L:D) h and 25 plus or minus 1 degree C. When females developed and maintained under these conditions had their wings amputated or cut off at half their length or their thoracic nota cauterized at an early age, a high percentage had mature oocytes 1 or 2 wk after treatment. Scorching the abdominal notum or cutting off the halteres (which did not prevent flying), did not enhance ovarian maturation. The younger the females at treatment, the stronger the effect of wing amputation and scorching of the thoracic notum on ovarian maturation. Females with wings amputated laid more eggs in olive fruit during their 1st 24 d of egg laying than did untreated females.