Age at reproductive maturity and effect of age and time of day on sex attraction in the potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli

The potato psyllid, Bactericera (= Paratrioza) cockerelli (Šulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), is a major pest of potato. Studies were conducted to determine the age at which both males and females reach reproductive maturity and the effect of age and time of day on sex attraction. Adult B. cockerelli reach reproductive maturity within 48 h post-eclosion, with females being mature on the day of eclosion and males at 1 day post-eclosion. Oviposition generally began 2 days after mating but was delayed when females mated within 2 days post-eclosion. In laboratory olfactometer assays, the age of females used as odor sources and the age of males assayed to these odors did not affect sex attraction, with both younger (1–4-day-old) and older (8–10-day-old) males being attracted to females, regardless of female age (1–4-day-old or 8–10-day-old). Males assayed to live females at different times during the photophase (between 8:00 and 20:00 hours) were attracted to females between 11:00 and 17:00 hours, showing a temporal periodicity in sex attraction with B. cockerelli at least during the photophase.