Environmental control of flight muscle histolysis in the bug Dysdercus intermedius

In adult females of Dysdercus intermedius the indirect flight muscles irreversibly histolyse following emergence. Environmental factors controlling flight muscle histolysis were investigated, and a histological study of the neuroendocrine system was made to locate changes correlated with histolysis.Climatic factors are not important; however, food and mating are shown to control histolysis. Starvation inhibits flight muscle histolysis and production of eggs. Copulation stimulates histolysis, even in starved females, but it does not stimulate vitellogenesis.Activity of the neurosecretory cells is not correlated with histolysis. However, in females, maximum growth of the corpus allatum coincides with reproduction and flight muscle histolysis. Starvation inhibits growth and activity of the corpus allatum, but copulation does not stimulate it.