Prey preference of Chrysoperla rufilabris (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) between immature stages of Microtheca ochroloma (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Abstract
The prey preference of larvae of the green lacewing, Chrysoperla rufilabris Burmeister (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), for consuming eggs and first instars of the yellowmargined leaf beetle, Microtheca ochroloma Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), and nymphs of the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), was investigated in 2 laboratory experiments in 2012. When beetle eggs at the base of the plant or on the soil and beetle larvae on the foliage were offered to the predator on bok choy plants (Brassica rapa L.; Brassicaceae), C. rufilabris larvae killed 5.3 times more beetle larvae than eggs, likely due to prey location. Killed eggs were located on the base of the plant; no eggs placed on the soil, close to the base of the plant, were killed or damaged. In the simple environment of a Petri dish, the predator showed a 5.2-fold preference for aphids over M. ochroloma eggs and larvae presented separately. When 3 prey options were presented, first instar C. rufilabris killed 4.8 times more M. persicae nymphs than beetle eggs and 3.8 times more nymphs than beetle larvae. The killing rate of M. ochroloma eggs and larvae by C. rufilabris decreased about 73% when M. persicae nymphs were present. When only eggs and larvae of M. ochroloma were offered in Petri dishes, the predator did not exhibit any prey preference. Although C. rufilabris displayed a prey preference for M. persicae nymphs over immature M. ochroloma in the laboratory, it is important to evaluate the predation on these 2 types of prey in the field.
Resumen
Se investigó, en dos experimentos de laboratorio en 2012, la preferencia depredadora de larvas de la crisopa verde Chrysoperla rufilabris Burmeister (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) para consumir los huevos y primeros estadíos del escarabajo del margen amarillo, Microtheca ochroloma Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), y las ninfas del áfido verde del melocotero, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae). Cuando se ofrecieron huevos del escarabajo en la base de la planta o encima del suelo y larvas del escarabajo encima del follaje al depredador en plantas de bok choy (Brassica rapa L.; Brassicaceae), C. rufilabris mató 5.3 veces más larvas que huevos, probablemente debido a la ubicación de la presa. Los huevos muertos se ubicaron en la base de la planta; ningún huevo encima del suelo, cerca de la base de la planta, fue depredado ni dañado. En el entorno simple de un plato Petri, el depredador tuvo una preferencia 5.2 veces mayor para áfidos sobre huevos y larva de M. ochroloma presentados separadamente. Cuando se presentaron tres opciones de presas, C. rufilabris de primer estadío mató 4.8 veces más ninfas de M. persicae que huevos del escarabajo y 3.8 veces más ninfas que larvas de escarabajo. La tasa de mortalidad de huevos y larvas de M. ochroloma por C. rufilabris disminuyó cerca de 73% cuando las ninfas de M. persicae estuvieron presentes. Cuando se ofrecieron solamente huevos y larvas de M. ochroloma en platos Petri, el depredador no mostró ninguna preferencia de presa. Aunque C. rufilabris mostró una preferencia de presa para ninfas de M. persicae sobre los inmaduros de M. ochroloma en el laboratorio, es importante evaluar la depredación de estos dos tipos de presas en el campo.
Key Words: predation; behavior; green lacewing; yellowmargined leaf beetle; green peach aphid
View this article in BioOne
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright for any article published in Florida Entomologist is held by the author(s) of the article. Florida Entomologist is an open access journal. Florida Entomologist follows terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License (cc by-nc). By submitting and publishing articles in Florida Entomologist, authors grant the FOJ and Florida Entomologist's host institutions permission to make the article available through Internet posting and electronic dissemination, and to otherwise archive the information contained both electronically and in a hard printed version. When used, information and images obtained from articles must be referenced and cited appropriately. Articles may be reproduced for personal, educational, or archival purposes, or any non-commercial use. Permission should be sought from the author(s) for multiple, non-commercial reproduction. Written permission from the author(s) is required for any commercial reproduction.