LAUSR

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, is the most notorious corn pest in East Asia and Oceania. The larvae seriously damage crops and lower yields. A previous study found that the O. furnacalis can migrate seasonally. However, the influencing factor on the flight performance of this pest has not yet been investigated. Here, the flight performance and its influencing factors of O. furnacalis were tested using computer-monitored flight mills. The results showed that the longest total flight of an individual was 71.49 km with a mean speed of 6.36 km·h−1 (1.77 m·s−1). Flight performance reached the peak when the moths were 2-days old, with a mean flight distance of 18.89 ± 2.03 km, mean flight duration of 7.34 ± 0.62 h and mean flight speed of 2.47 ± 0.10 km·h−1 (0.69 m·s−1). The flight capability of females was always higher than that of males. Mating status and nutritional status affected partial flight variables. For both sexes, only temperature and relative humidity among the abiotic factors significantly involved flight performance, which was most significant at 25–30 °C and 55–65%. Our study demonstrated that O. furnacalis have a high capability for migration and determined the influencing factors on flight performance. These results provide essential information for forecasting and management of this pest.