Flight Capability of the Tea Geometrid, Ectropis oblique Prout（Lepidoptera: Geometridae）

This study aimed to determine the flight capability and dispersal of adult tea geometrid, Ectropis oblique Prout. The flying speed, distance and duration of the insect were monitored using the computer-linked flight mills in the laboratory. The flight capability of the insects was at the highest 2 days after their emergence, and mating did not appear to significantly affect it. For the female and male adults, their average flying distances were 9.14 km and 8.16 km, respectively, and the longest continuous flights were 2.56 km and 1.93 km, respectively. The flight capability of tea geometrids tended to increase initially and declined significantly after they were 3-d-old, particularly for the females.