Insect Migration

Migration is a key process in the population dynamics of many insects, including some of the most damaging pests. This book reviews current understanding of the ecological, behavioral, physiological, and genetic bases of insect migration. The first part describes migration systems in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and America, with an emphasis on the role of regional weather and climate. Secondly, is a consideration of insects' adaptation to migration; it covers aerodynamics and energetics, the integration of migration in insect life cycles, environmental and genetic regulation of migratory potential, and the evolutionary implications of habitat heterogeneity and variability. The book then addresses the application of this knowledge to operational pest forecasting.

The book provides a comprehensive current account of insect migration. It describes migrations, often over hundreds or thousands of kilometres, in all continents. The behaviour, physiology and genetics of insect migration are considered in their ecological and evolutionary contexts, with an emphasis on weather and climate factors. Several of the species described are among the world's most serious pests and the problems of operational forecasting, important in integrated pest management (IPM), are discussed.