EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE LIFE-CYCLE OF ANAX JUNIUS (ODONATA: AESHNIDAE) IN CANADA

Abstract

The effect of temperature on the rate of development of Anax junius Drury was studied. Monthly larval samples were carried out for 2 years and laboratory experiments were conducted at constant temperatures. Field studies, at a eutrophic pond near Toronto, showed that in Canada populations of A. junius are not only maintained by migrants each year but also by residents. Two distinct populations were found, a summer (non-resident) population which developed from oviposition to emergence in approximately 3 months, from June to September, and an overwintering (resident) population which overwintered as half-grown larvae and developed in approximately 11 months from mid-July of one calendar year to the end of June of the next year. The former population was larger and comprised approximately 48% males and the latter was smaller and comprised approximately 41% males. A threshold temperature of development of 8.7° ± 0.1 °C was determined in the laboratory for the development of final-instar larvae of the summer population. The rate of development of final-instar larvae, reared at constant temperature, was similar to that of the entire summer aquatic stages which developed in fluctuating temperature. An average of 1332 degree-days ± 1% was required for development from the onset of oviposition to the onset of emergence of the summer population; whereas 20.5% more degree-days were required for the development of the overwintering population, employing the threshold temperature of 8.7 °C as determined for the summer population.It is recommended that correlation between degree-day totals and duration of larval development be used in further studies as a means for understanding the migration pattern and also the climatic limit of distribution for A. junius.