Asian Journal of Research in Biosciences

Aspongopus viduatus is the most destructive pest threatening Citrulus lanatus (Thuab.), the pest is a troublesome in watermelon in Western States of Sudan, causes severe losses to the crop leading to a total failure. The insect disperses from watermelon crop in summer to find sheltering sites for aestivation to synchronize activities and allowing insects to continue unfavorable conditions while being ready to take advantage of good conditions as rapidly as possible. In general, very little knowledge in the aestivation of A. viduatus had been known therefore, this study was initiated to investigate some aestivation relations, namely, population density of aestivating insects, sex ratio, and loss in body weight as well as fat reserves depletion during aestivation. Field experiments were conducted at En-nahod North Kordofan State, Sudan. Plants (grasses, herbs, shrubs and trees) were sampled randomly, aestivated A. viduitus were handpicked, placed in polyethylene bags (50 x 40cm) and taken to the laboratory. Samples were counted to determine population density/ tree, male and female ratio /tree, male and female weighed, insect body fat extract was also determined. The results revealed that, there was a decrease in population density of both sexes with the progress of the aestivation period and that there were more females than males and that, the body weight and fat reserves declined as the aestivation period progressed, females were heavier and had more fat deposited than the males.