Critical thermal limits of the seasonal migrant, Euxoa auxiliaris (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Abstract

The larval stage of the army cutworm, Euxoa auxiliaris (Grote), is an agricultural pest in the Great Plains region of North America. Adult migration to alpine aggregation sites to escape extreme summer temperatures and depleted food resources provides a critical food resource for the grizzly bear, Ursus arctos horribilis (Linnaeus, Carnivora: Ursidae), in the Rocky Mountains. However, little is understood about the ecological consequences of the thermal tolerance of adult E. auxiliaris. Therefore, we investigated thermal tolerance of lab-reared and wild-caught individuals by assessing their critical thermal limits (CTLmax and CTLmin). Using a ramping tolerance assay, we began at 25 °C and adjusted the temperature at a rate of 0.3 °C/min until individuals lost control of their righting response. Adult moths had a CTLmax (lab-reared: 44.13 °C, wild-caught moths: 43.28 °C) typical for a temperate lepidopteran species. However, their CTLmin (lab-reared: -2.24 °C, wild-caught: -1.9 °C) reflects an extraordinary ability to remain active and feed when ambient temperatures are low. These findings provide insights into the thermal ecology of E. auxiliaris which are essential for predicting the range distribution of the species, and, consequently, the continued availability of this key food source for Rocky Mountain grizzly bears. As climate change continues to affect ambient temperatures, these results underscore the importance of studying thermal tolerance to anticipate ecological shifts and ensure the conservation of both E. auxiliaris and the grizzly bears that depend on them.