Recording and reproducing the diurnal oviposition rhythms of wild populations of the soft- and stone- fruit pest Drosophila suzukii

Drosophila suzukii is a horticultural pest on a global scale which causes both yield and economic losses on a range of soft- and stone-fruit. Tackling this pest is problematic but exploiting behavioural rhythms could increase the impact of control. To do this, a better understanding of behavioural patterns is needed. Within this study we aimed to investigate rhythms in reproductive behaviour of wild D. suzukii under natural conditions in the field. Environmental parameters were also recorded to decipher how they influence these rhythms. Assays were then performed on laboratory cultures, housed under artificial conditions mimicking the temperature and light cycles, to see if these patterns were reproducible and rhythmic. We were able to promote field like oviposition patterns within the laboratory using realistic temperature and light cycles regardless of variations in other factors including substrate, humidity, and lighting type. Locomotion activity was also recorded under these mimick...