scholarly journals Head capsule stacking by caterpillars: morphology complements behaviour to provide a novel defence

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1714 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petah A. Low ◽  
Clare McArthur ◽  
Dieter F. Hochuli
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Head Capsule ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Defensive Function ◽  
False Target ◽  
Mixed Treatment ◽  
Morphological Defences

Herbivores employ a variety of chemical, behavioural and morphological defences to reduce mortality from natural enemies. In some caterpillars the head capsules of successive instars are retained and stacked on top of each other and it has been suggested that this could serve as a defence against natural enemies. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the survival of groups of the gumleaf skeletoniserUraba lugensWalker caterpillars, allocated to one of three treatments: “−HC,” where stacked head capsules were removed from all individuals, “+HC,” where the caterpillars retained their stacked head capsules, and “mixed,” where only half of the caterpillars in a group had their stacked head capsules removed. We found no difference in predation rate between the three treatments, but within the mixed treatment, caterpillars with head capsules were more than twice as likely to survive. During predator choice trials, conducted to observe how head capsule stacking acts as a defence, the predatory pentatomid bug attacked the −HC caterpillar in four out of six trials. The two attacks on +HC caterpillars took over 10 times longer because the bug would poke its rostrum through the head capsule stack, while the caterpillar used its head capsule stack to deflect the bug’s rostrum. Our results support the hypothesis that the retention of moulted head capsules byU. lugensprovides some protection against their natural enemies and suggest that this is because stacked head capsules can function as a false target for natural enemies as well as a weapon to fend off attackers. This represents the first demonstration of a defensive function.

scholarly journals Contribution to knowledge of Hylesinus fraxini (Panzer, 1779) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) natural enemies from Northern Moravia (Czech Republic)

2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (Special Issue) ◽  
pp. 53-56
Author(s):  
O. Nakládal ◽  
M. Turčáni
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Total Mortality ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Total Rate ◽  
Mortality Factors ◽  
Thanasimus Formicarius ◽  
Insect Predator

Predation by natural enemies was studied as mortality factors of <I>Hylesinus fraxini</I> in 2006–2007. Predation by birds was not recorded and predation rate by insect reached 0.1%. Only one insect predator was reared – <I>Thanasimus formicarius</I> (Linnaeus, 1758). The total rate of parasitism was 54.0%. At least 8 species of parasitoids from the order Hymenoptera were recorded. The most abundant parasitoid was <I>Eurytoma morio Boheman</I>, 1836 (44.1% from the total number of all reared parasitoids; 23.8% of the total mortality), subsequently <I>Eurytoma arctica</I> Thomson, 1876 (31.7%; 17.1%), <I>Cheiropachus quadrum</I> (Fabricius, 1787) (12.8%; 6.9%), Braconidae (6.3%; 3.4%), <I>Rhaphitelus maculatus</I> Walker, 1834 (3.9%; 2.1%), <I>Mesopolobus</I> sp. (0.5%; 0.3%), were not identified Pteromalidae (0.5%; 0.3%) and <I>Tetrastichus</I> sp. (0.2%; 0.1%).

scholarly journals Bagworm bags as portable armour against invertebrate predators

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinji Sugiura
Keyword(s):  
Host Plant ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Physical Barrier ◽  
Potential Predator ◽  
Plant Parts ◽  
Defensive Function ◽  
Invertebrate Predators ◽  
Environmental Materials ◽  
Leaf Bags

Some animals have evolved the use of environmental materials as “portable armour” against natural enemies. Portable bags that bagworm larvae (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) construct using their own silk and plant parts are generally believed to play an important role as a physical barrier against natural enemies. However, no experimental studies have tested the importance of bags as portable armour against predators. To clarify the defensive function, I studied the bagwormEumeta minusculaand a potential predatorCalosoma maximoviczi(Coleoptera: Carabidae). Under laboratory conditions, all bagworm larvae were attacked by carabid adults, but successfully defended themselves against the predators’ mandibles using their own bags. The portable bags, which are composed mainly of host plant twigs, may function as a physical barrier against predator mandibles. To test this hypothesis, I removed the twig bags and replaced some with herb leaf bags; all bag-removed larvae were easily caught and predated by carabids, while all bag-replaced larvae could successfully defend themselves against carabid attacks. Therefore, various types of portable bags can protect bagworm larvae from carabid attacks. This is the first study to test the defensive function of bagworm portable bags against invertebrate predators.

Ant-coccid mutualism in citrus canopies and its effect on natural enemies of red scale, Aonidiella aurantii (Maskell) (Hemiptera: Diaspididae)

2013 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.T. Dao ◽  
A. Meats ◽  
G.A.C. Beattie ◽  
R. Spooner-Hart
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
New South ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
The Other ◽  
Aonidiella Aurantii ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Black Scale ◽  
Saissetia Oleae ◽  
Citrus Orchards ◽  
Low Incidence

AbstractMutualistic relationships between honeydew-producing insects and ants have been widely recognized for several decades. Iridomyrmex rufoniger (Lowne) is the commonest ant species associated with black scale, Saissetia oleae (Olivier), in the citrus orchards of the mid latitudes of coastal New South Wales. Citrus trees with high densities of both red and black scale and high ant activity were identified and the results of excluding ants from half of those trees (using a polybutene band on each trunk) were compared with the results of not excluding ants from the other half. Trees with a low incidence of black scale and ants were also studied. Exclusion of ants from trees was soon followed by collapse of black scale populations because most individuals were asphyxiated by their own honeydew. Also, parasitism of the red scale by Encarsia perniciosi (Tower) and Encarsia citrina Craw was significantly higher than in the control trees over the following year, as was the predation rate on red scale due to three coccinellid predators, Halmus chalybeus (Boisduval), Rhyzobius hirtellus Crotch and Rhyzobius lophanthae (Blaisdell). In contrast, another coccinellid, Orcus australasiae (Boisduval), and a noctuid moth larva, Mataeomera dubia Butler, were seen in low numbers on banded (ant exclusion) trees, probably because of the low availability of their black scale prey, but were significantly higher on control trees apparently because of their invulnerability to ants.

scholarly journals Investigation on the Natural Enemies of Jute Yellow Mite and Their Performances and Seasonal Incidence

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. p56
Author(s):  
Md. Nazrul Islam ◽  
Khandakar Shariful Islam ◽  
Mahbuba Jahan ◽  
Md. Sohanur Rahman
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Adult Stage ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Predatory Mite ◽  
Polyphagotarsonemus Latus ◽  
Seasonal Incidence ◽  
Predation Efficiency ◽  
Unidentified Species ◽  
Minute Pirate Bug ◽  
Mirid Bug

The jute yellow mite Polyphagotarsonemus latus constitutes one of the major pests of jute crop in Bangladesh. The objective of this work was to investigation on the natural enemies of jute yellow mite. The investigation on the natural enemies of jute yellow mite were studied in the laboratory of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute during March 2011 to September 2013. As many as six predators of jute yellow mite viz, Predatory mite, Thrips, Minute pirate bug, Lady bird beetle, Mirid bug and Spider were collected and identified. The predation rate of the predatory mite Amblyseius sp. showed an average of 8.8 jute yellow mite per hour in laboratory condition. Predatory mite reached the peak on the 20th June. The highest population was 25 predatory mite/25 leaves. The population of predatory mite declined sharply in the 1st week of July. The nymph and adult of Scolothrips consumed an average of 15.4 and 20.10 yellow mite per hour. Scolothrips sp reached its peak population on 30th June and declined occurred in the 1st week of July. Both nymph and adult stage of Orius sp. predate 24.5 and 21 jute yellow mite respectively. The highest number of Minute pirate bug 20 was recorded at 30th June. Both the grubs and adults of lady bird beetle predate on all the stage of yellow mite. Grub was found as voracious feeder showing a predation efficiency of 35 per hour. The highest and lowest number of Ladybird beetle was recorded on 25th June and 5th May respectively. The highest 15 Mirid bug was recorded at 30th June. An unidentified species of spider was found to consume yellow mite.

scholarly journals Notes on the Life Cycle of the Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.) (Lepidoptera; Sphingidae), in Puerto Rico

1969 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-62
Author(s):  
Rafael Inglés Casanova ◽  
Silverio Medina Gaud
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Manduca Sexta ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Larval Instar ◽  
Head Capsule ◽  
Tobacco Hornworm ◽  
Head Capsule Width ◽  
Leaf Consumption

The life cycle of the sphingid moth, Manduca sexta (L.), the tobacco hornworm, was investigated in Puerto Rico. Descriptions of the stages, including measurements of the egg (length and width), larva (length and head capsule width), pupa (length), and the duration of each of the stages are given. The estimated leaf consumption by each larval instar, a list of known host plants, and the natural enemies known to occur in Puerto Rico are included.

scholarly journals Methyl Salicylate Increases Attraction and Function of Beneficial Arthropods in Cranberries

Insects ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordano Salamanca ◽  
Brígida Souza ◽  
Vera Kyryczenko-Roth ◽  
Cesar Rodriguez-Saona
Keyword(s):  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Natural Enemy ◽  
Methyl Salicylate ◽  
European Corn Borer ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Beneficial Arthropods ◽  
Sticky Traps ◽  
Corn Borer ◽  
Plant Volatile ◽  
And Function

Methyl salicylate (MeSA) is an herbivore-induced plant volatile (HIPV) known to attract the natural enemies of herbivores in agro-ecosystems; however, whether this attraction leads to an increase in natural enemy functioning, i.e., predation, remains largely unknown. Here, we monitored for 2 years (2011–2012) the response of herbivores and natural enemies to MeSA lures (PredaLure) by using sticky and pitfall traps in cranberry bogs. In addition, European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis, egg masses were used to determine whether natural enemy attraction to MeSA leads to higher predation. In both years, MeSA increased adult hoverfly captures on sticky traps and augmented predation of O. nubilalis eggs. However, MeSA also attracted more phytophagous thrips and, in 2012, more plant bugs (Miridae) to sticky traps. Furthermore, we used surveillance cameras to record the identity of natural enemies attracted to MeSA and measure their predation rate. Video recordings showed that MeSA lures increase visitation by adult lady beetles, adult hoverflies, and predatory mites to sentinel eggs, and predation of these eggs doubled compared to no-lure controls. Our data indicate that MeSA lures increase predator attraction, resulting in increased predation; thus, we provide evidence that attraction to HIPVs can increase natural enemy functioning in an agro-ecosystem.

Individual Differences in the Flexibility of Peripersonal Space

2017 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel B. Hunley ◽  
Arwen M. Marker ◽  
Stella F. Lourenco
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Peripersonal Space ◽  
The Body ◽  
Laser Pointer ◽  
Baseline Measure ◽  
Bisection Task ◽  
Defensive Function ◽  
Representational Space ◽  
Laser Condition ◽  
Line Bisection Task

Abstract. The current study investigated individual differences in the flexibility of peripersonal space (i.e., representational space near the body), specifically in relation to trait claustrophobic fear (i.e., fear of suffocating or being physically restricted). Participants completed a line bisection task with either a laser pointer (Laser condition), allowing for a baseline measure of the size of one’s peripersonal space, or a stick (Stick condition), which produces expansion of one’s peripersonal space. Our results revealed that individuals high in claustrophobic fear had larger peripersonal spaces than those lower in claustrophobic fear, replicating previous research. We also found that, whereas individuals low in claustrophobic fear demonstrated the expected expansion of peripersonal space in the Stick condition, individuals high in claustrophobic fear showed less expansion, suggesting decreased flexibility. We discuss these findings in relation to the defensive function of peripersonal space and reduced attentional flexibility associated with trait anxieties.

Yellow Brazilian Pepper-tree Leaf Galler (suggested common name) Calophya latiforceps Burckhardt (Insecta: Hemiptera: Calophyidae: Calophyinae)

EDIS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
James P. Cuda ◽  
Patricia Prade ◽  
Carey R. Minteer-Killian
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
North America ◽  
Natural Enemies ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Classical Biological Control ◽  
Biological Control Agents ◽  
Pepper Tree ◽  
Brazilian Pepper ◽  
Close Relatives ◽  
Tree Leaf

In the late 1970s, Brazilian peppertree, Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi (Sapindales: Anacardiaceae), was targeted for classical biological control in Florida because its invasive properties (see Host Plants) are consistent with escape from natural enemies (Williams 1954), and there are no native Schinus spp. in North America. The lack of native close relatives should minimize the risk of damage to non-target plants from introduced biological control agents (Pemberton 2000). [...]

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