Cold hardiness process of beet armyworm larvae, Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Cold hardiness is one of the most common adaptations of insects at low temperatures. To understand the cold hardiness strategy of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hübner), six temperature treatments were tested on the last instar larvae. Supercooling points of treatments were not significantly different. Two sugars, glucose and trehalose, as well as three polyols, myo-inositol, glycerol and sorbitol, were identified in these larvae. Trehalose was more affected in response to low temperatures in longer duration, and had a significant negative correlation with glycogen content. Despite the extensive sugar beet cultivation areas in Iran, beet armyworm population has been decreased in recent years. It seems that climate change regarding the global warming especially in autumn and winter could be a reason for decline in population outbreak of beet armyworm in the next generation. Based on findings of this study, it is suggested that overwintering larvae are freeze-intolerant insects but long term acclimation at sub-zero temperatures makes larvae tolerate presence of ice crystals in their body fluid.