STUDIES OF REFUGE-SEEKING BEHAVIOR AND LOCOMOTORY ACTIVITY IN CRYPTOLESTES-FERRUGINEUS (STEPHENS) (COLEOPTERA, CUCUJIDAE) USING TIME-LAPSE VIDEO RECORDINGS

Refuge-seeking behaviour and locomotory activity of two strains of Cryptolestes ferrugineus (Stephens) were investigated in laboratory arenas with a refuge using time-lapse video recordings. An insectary strain, reared in the laboratory for over 25 years and susceptible to many organo-phosphorus insecticides, exhibited less refuge-seeking behaviour and was slower in its general movements around the arena than another strain which had been collected from the field more recently and was resistant to malathion. There was considerable variation in the amount of time spent in the refuge by individual beetles; however, during each 24 h of a 3 day test period, individuals of the refuge-seeking strain remained in the refuge for a mean of 20 h and only ventured into the arena on 1.3 occasions. Females made fewer exits from the refuge and spent less time in the arena than males.