Performance of a model for egg hatching of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, using measured and modelled soil temperatures as input

A model for egg hatching of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, was tested at several locations in Ontario, Canada, during the 1989 and 1990 seasons. The model required soil temperatures as input and was tested using measured and modelled data. Modelled soil temperatures at 5 and 10 cm depths were obtained from empirically and physically based models. The physically based model provided better estimates of soil temperatues, but both models slightly underestimated the temperatures. Predicted egg hatching, using measured and modelled soil temperature at 5 and 10 cm depths for all locations, compared reasonably well with the observations of egg hatching. When using modelled soil temperatures, the egg developmental model performed better using soil temperatures from the physically based model. However, both soil temperature models provided sufficiently accurate temperature values for use in the egg developmental model. Unlike the empirically based model, the physically based model was not site-specific and its application to larger areas appeared feasible.