Multiple flights in the dispersal of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius)

The risks for migratory individuals can be considered quite large, as leaving a host plant carries the possibility of failure to locate suitable habitat in the future. Although it could be considered surprising that the existence of migratory behaviors is maintained in any population given these risks, the potential benefits include access to new habitat and freedom from competition. In general, evidence exists indicating the genetic potential for migration is often variable in populations due to the trade-offs between these short-term risks and long-term benefits. Although there is some general information about the morphology of small insects, the heritability of flight and the existence of correlated traits are not well known for many species. One such life history trait of interest is the timing of migration flight. This study measured flight performance by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) to determine if these insects could migrate multiple times over their short life. Although there is some data about the distances that these insects can move in the field and the lab, there has not been clear evidence to determine if migration could occur over several days and across several fields. We investigate the contributions of migratory traits towards populations under lab and field conditions, as well as individual variation in lifetime dispersal capabilities and general life histories shaped in the context of dispersal.