Changes in water permeability of an insect egg in response to level of water in the environment

Summary The water permeability of eggs of the southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber, varied depending on the previous experience of the eggs. Eggs acclimated in a water vapor system were seen to be less permeable than eggs acclimated in contact with moist paper, as measured by the rate of loss of water from the eggs and the susceptibility of the eggs to death from desiccation. This is the first known report of the ability of an insect egg to adapt to the level of water available in the environment.