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Abstract Theory predicts that traits with heightened condition dependence, such as sexually selected traits, should be affected by inbreeding to a greater degree than other traits. The presence of environmental stress may compound the negative consequences of inbreeding depression. In this study, we examined inbreeding depression across multiple traits and whether it increased with a known form of environmental stress. We conducted our experiment using both sexes of the sexually dimorphic leaf-footed cactus bug, Narnia femorata (Hemiptera: Coreidae). Adult male cactus bugs have enlarged hind legs used as weapons in male–male contests; these traits, and their homologue in females, have been previously found to exhibit high condition dependence. In this study, we employed a small developmental group size as an environmental stress challenge. Nymph N. femorata aggregate throughout their juvenile stages, and previous work has shown the negative effects of small group size on survivorship and body size. We found evidence of inbreeding depression for survival and seven of the eight morphological traits measured in both sexes. Inbreeding depression was higher for the size of the male weapon and the female homolog. Additionally, small developmental group size negatively affected survival to adulthood. However, small group size did not magnify the effects of inbreeding on morphological traits. These findings support the hypothesis that traits with heightened condition dependence exhibit higher levels of inbreeding depression. 

Abstract Explanations of why nocturnal insects fly erratically around fires and lamps have included theories of “lunar navigation” and “escape to the light”. However, without three-dimensional flight data to test them rigorously, the cause for this odd behaviour has remained unsolved. We employed high-resolution motion capture in the laboratory and stereo-videography in the field to reconstruct the 3D kinematics of insect flights around artificial lights. Contrary to the expectation of attraction, insects do not steer directly toward the light. Instead, insects turn their dorsum toward the light, generating flight bouts perpendicular to the source. Under natural sky light, tilting the dorsum towards the brightest visual hemisphere helps maintain proper flight attitude and control. Near artificial sources, however, this highly conserved dorsal-light-response can produce continuous steering around the light and trap an insect. Our guidance model demonstrates that this dorsal tilting is sufficient to create the seemingly erratic flight paths of insects near lights and is the most plausible model for why flying insects gather at artificial lights. 

Abstract Characterising the frequency and timing of biological processes such as locomotion, eclosion or foraging, is often needed to get a complete picture of a species' ecology. Automated trackers are an invaluable tool for high‐throughput collection of activity data and have become more accurate and efficient with advances in computer vision and deep learning. However, tracking activity of small and fast flying animals remains a hurdle, especially in a field setting with variable light conditions. Commercial activity monitors can be expensive, closed source and generally limited to laboratory settings.Here, we present a portable locomotion activity monitor (pLAM), a mobile activity detector to quantify small animal activity. Our setup uses inexpensive components, builds upon open‐source motion tracking software, and is easy to assemble and use in the field. It runs off‐grid, supports low‐light tracking with infrared lights and can implement arbitrary light cycle colours and brightnesses with programmable LEDs. We provide a user‐friendly guide to assembling pLAM hardware, accessing its pre‐configured software and guidelines for using it in other systems.We benchmarked pLAM for insects under various laboratory and field conditions, then compared results to a commercial activity detector. They offer broadly similar activity measures, but our setup captures flight and bouts of motion that are often missed by beam breaking activity detection.pLAM can automate laboratory and field monitoring of activity and timing in a wide range of biological processes, including circadian rhythm, eclosion and diapause timing, pollination and flower foraging, or pest feeding activity. This low cost and easy setup allows high‐throughput animal behaviour studies for basic and applied ecology and evolution research.