Characteristics of crowded (mainly alate) and isolated(apterous) populations of the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum were compared. The total developmental time in alatae was longer than that in apteres, the difference due to the extended fourth instar in the former. There was no signifiacant difference in larval body weight between isolated and crowded insects in the first 3 instars, whereas the apterous fourth instar larvae and adults were heavier than the alate ones. Apterous parents produced a larger number of larvae than alate parents. No significant difference in total free sugar content was observed between isolated and crowded aphids. Crude glycogen content, however, decreased significantly near the time of adult emergence, especially in alatae. This may be due to glycogen utilization in wing development.
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Tsumuki et al. (1990) studied this question.
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