Abstract: 【Aim】 To determine the flight capacity of the Asiatic apple leafminer, Lithocolletis ringoniella, under its own physiological state and to understand the basic parameters of its flight biology. 【Methods】 The flight distance, flight duration and flight speed of different day-old adults of both genders of L. ringoniella, and the 5-d-old female and male adults provided with complementary nutrition (5% honey water) and under different mating states were measured in the laboratory with insect flying mill system. 【Results】 Subjected to continuous 12 h tethered flight, the 3-6-d-old adults of L. ringoniella had better flight capacity, and the 5-d-old adults had the best flight capacity. The average flight distance, flight duration and flight speed of the 5-d-old female adults were 2.293±0.254 km, 5.341±0.617 h and 0.711±0.126 km/h, respectively, and those of males were 2.142±0.276 km, 5.132±0.628 h and 0.620±0.132 km/h, respectively, suggesting that the flight capacity is not significantly different between male and female adults. The flight capacities of the 5-d-old male and female adults were significantly improved after being fed with 5% honey water. The flight distance, flight duration and flight speed of the 5-d-old female adults fed with 5% honey water were increased by 46.945%, 15.430% and 15.978%, respectively, and those of the 5-d-old male adults were increased by 42.610%, 13.590% and 6.529%, respectively, as compared with those in the control (fed with water). After mating, the flight distance, flight duration and flight speed of the 5-d-old female adults were increased by 41.628%, 7.152% and 39.925%, respectively, as compared with unmated females, while those of the 5-d-old male adults were decreased by 35.823%, 17.888% and 46.129%, respectively, as compared with unmated males.【Conclusion】 L. ringoniella adults have a certain flight capacity, which is affected by complementary nutrition and their own mating states.

Key words: Litocolletis ringoniella, gender, complementary nutrition, mating status, flight capacity, flying mill