ABSTRACT
Migdolus fryanus (Westwood, 1863) (Col: Vesperidae) usually causes great damages to sugar cane crops. The reproductive behavior aspects should be considered important to develop control methods. The flight behavior during mating was studied in sugar cane fields in four municipalities of São Paulo State, Brazil, (Olímpia, Catanduva, Promissão and Teodoro Sampaio), from October 2001 to March 2003. The fluctuation of larvae population has previously been studied in Catanduva, SP, Brazil, during March 2002 and February 2004. In September 2003, the larval infestion was compared in crops of 3 municipalities (Olimpia, Catanduva and Teodoro Sampaio). The reproductive flight occurred at high adult male density, after raining, between October and March. Such flights lasted seven days. The female came out from the soil for mating from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m,. Usually, the male could be found before the female emergence, influenced by the female sex pheromone. The mating lasted five to thirty seconds. Immediately after mating, the female returned to the soil to start oviposition. Larvae were more frequently between June and September (dry season). The highest larval infestation was observed in Teodoro Sampaio, while the lowest one was noted in Catanduva.
KEY WORDS
Larval population; flight behavior; roots borer; sugar cane
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