Survival and development of Pieris brassicae larvae upon application of sublethal doses of chlordimeform

Larvae of the large cabbage white butterfly, Pieris brassicae L. are important pests of cruciferous crops. Third and fifth instars were treated topically with sublethal doses of the formamidine pesticide chlordimeform. A number of excitable actions were induced but they did not persist beyond 24 hours. Following the initial period, however, subsequent development was delayed and mortality increased, particularly when third instars were treated. Dosing fifth-instar larvae caused few further deaths. A link is suggested between these results and the nutritional status of the insects, and they are discussed in terms of how they might contribute towards control.

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Résumé Les chenilles de troisième et cinquième stades de P. brassicae L. ont reçu une application superficielle de chlordiméforme, insecticide à la formamidine. Les doses inférieures à 335 g/g ont été sublétales, provoquant plusieurs formes d'excitation. Bien que leur comportement soit redevenu normal en 24 heures, les troisièmes stades traités ont eu leur développement retardé et une mortalité accrue. Le traitement des chenilles plus âgées a eu moins d'effets. Une relation est suggérée entre ces observations et le régime alimentaire de cet insecte; une réduction de l'alimentation, plus importante chez les chenilles de troisième que de cinquième stade de P. brassicae, accompagne le début des altérations du comportement provoquées par le chlordiméforme. La discussion porte sur le mécanisme de contrôle sublétal du chlordiméforme, impliquant des effects immédiats et retardés.

     

Diet switching in a generalist mammalian folivore: fundamental to maximising intake

Generalist mammalian herbivores exploit a diverse diet. A generalised feeding strategy utilises a mixed diet to obtain a range of nutrients and to reduce the detoxication load of similar groups of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs). There is limited research investigating how mammalian herbivores achieve this dietary mixing in their daily foraging activities. We investigated the patterns of, and behaviours associated with, dietary mixing in a generalist mammalian folivore, the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Possums were offered foliage of two eucalypt species (Eucalyptus globulus and E. regnans) as either (a) Full choice: both species offered for 8 h; (b) Restricted choice: both species offered for 2×2 h blocks; (c) G–R no choice: E. globulus offered for the first 4 h, E. regnans offered for next 4 h; and (d) R–G no choice: E. regnans offered for first 4 h, E. globulus offered for next 4 h. We hypothesised that possums would maximise intake on the Full choice diet, where time availability was greatest in combination with a choice of foliage. We also hypothesised that diet switching, defined as the frequency of changing between food types while feeding, would play a fundamental role in maximising intake. Possums achieved maximum intake on the Full choice diet and minimum intake on the No choice diets. Although intake was similar between the Restricted choice and No choice diets, possums achieved this intake in half the amount of time when able to switch regularly between foliage on the Restricted choice diet. We conclude that a generalist herbivore’s ability to effectively switch diets when foraging is fundamental to maximising intake. Hence, the degree of plant heterogeneity in an environment, and the spatial scale at which it occurs, may affect an herbivore’s foraging decisions and, ultimately, influence its foraging efficiency.     

Predators induce interspecific herbivore competition for food in refuge space

Resource competition among herbivorous arthropods has long been viewed as unimportant because herbivore populations are controlled by predators. Although recently resurrected as an organizing force in arthropod communities on plants, there is still general agreement that resource competition among herbivores is reduced by predators. Here we show the reverse: predators induce interspecific resource competi-tion among herbivores. We found that thrips larvae ( Frankliniella occidentalis ) use the web produced and inhabited by the spider mite Tetranychus urticae as a refuge from predation by the phytoseiid mite Neoseiulus cucumeris . Thrips larvae prefer clean plant parts, but move into the web upon perceiving volatile cues associated with thrips and predators. This behaviour leads to lower predation risk, but also to reduced developmental rate and lower production of thrips larvae due to competition with spider mites. In addition, thrips larvae consume spider-mite eggs. Thus, predators induce interspecific competition and intraguild predation among herbivores within refuge space, even when host plants have an overall green appearance.     

The disruption of aggregation behaviour in Pieris brassicae larvae by chlordimeform

The behavioural basis for the reduction in feeding caused by the formamidine pesticide chlordimeform was investigated in second-instar larvae of the large cabbage white butterfly, Pieris brassicae L. Normally, these caterpillars feed communally. On chlordimeform-dipped leaves (10^-6 M–10^-2 M) they rapidly became excited, locomotion increased and only unstable aggregations formed in which any feeding was usually transient. Over 24 h excitation declined, aggregations re-formed and feeding was resumed. However, between 24 and 30 h, on leaves treated with chlordimeform solutions of 10^-4 M or greater, larvae dispersed again.By altering the density of larvae on control discs a direct link was revealed between clump size and larval growth rates.It is concluded that, in species which feed gregariously, interference with larval aggregation contributes significantly to chlordimeform's effects on feeding and its involvement in a sublethal control mechanism in the field is discussed.

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Résumé Un des effets sublétaux du chlordiméforme, insecticide formamidine, est une réduction de la prise de nourriture, par suite de l'altération du comportement. Celle-ci implique une action stimulant l'activité locomotrice du quatrième stade de P. brassicae L., moins sensible aux effets sur l'alimentation. Le but de ce travail est d'examiner comment le chlordiméforme agit sur le comportement des chenilles du second stade. Des chenilles sur des feuilles trempées dans le chlordiméforme (10^-6 à 10^-2) sont vite excitées, leur déplacements s'accélèrent et les groupements formés sont tous instables, l'alimentation y étant généralement éphémère. L'excitation se réduit au bout de 24 heures, le groupements se reforment, et l'alimentation reprend, bien que pour les concentrations 10^-4 M, les chenilles aient été encore dispersées entre 24 et 30 heures, au moment où elles commençaient à s'alimenter sur les résidus de chlordiméforme. La perturbation de la concentration des chenilles sur des disques témoins a montré une relation directe entre la taille du groupe et le taux de croissance larvaire.Nous en avons conclu que chez les espèces de lépidoptères qui consomment groupées, une interaction avec l'agrégation larvaire contribue significativement à l'effet du chlordiméforme sur l'alimentation. La discussion porte sur les conséquences pour la croissance et la survie larvaire, particulièrement en ce qui concerne l'installation des chenilles néonates.

     

Effects of nonhost and host plants on insect herbivory covarying with plant size in the cruciferous plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Turritis glabra</Emphasis>

Correlation between plant size and reproductive output may be modified by herbivory in accordance with host plant density and the presence of nonhost plants. To elucidate the effects of nonhost plant density and host plant density on the intensity of herbivory and reproductive output of the host plant in relation to plant size under natural conditions, we investigated the abundance of three lepidopteran insects, Plutella maculipennis, Anthocharis scolymus, and Pieris rapae the intensity of herbivory, and fruit set of their host plant, Turritis glabra (Cruciferae). To elucidate the effects of nonhost and host plant density, we selected four categories of plots under natural conditions: low density of nonhost and high density of host plants; low density of both nonhost and host plants; high density of both nonhost and host plants; and high density of nonhost and low density of host plants. The plant size indicated by stem diameter was a good predictor of the abundance of all herbivorous species. The effects of density of nonhost and host plants on the abundance of insects varied among species and stages of insects. As the abundance of insects affected the intensity of herbivory, herbivory was more apparent on larger host plants in plots with low density of both nonhost and host plants. Consequently, the correlation between plant size and the number of fruits disappeared in low plots with density of both nonhost and host plants. In this T. glabra– herbivorous insect system, the density of nonhost plants and host plants plays an important role in modifying the relationship between plants and herbivores under natural conditions. Received: July 19, 1999 / Accepted: June 15, 2000     

Reproductive and subsocial behaviour in the ovoviviparous leaf beetle Gonioctena sibirica (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Abstract.

• 1 In the spring, females of the leaf beetle Gonioctena sibirica deposited larvae on the ventral surface of growing young leaves situated on the apical position of shoots of the willow Salix bakko.
• 2 The parent females remained with the larvae usually on the underside of the basal part of leaves, facing toward the base of shoots. When other arthropods approached, the females temporarily moved towards these intruders, showing aggressive behaviour such as swinging the body or stamping the legs. Many females remained with their larvae until the larvae grew into the final (fourth) instar. No female produced an additional brood in the field.
• 3 Broods from which parent females were experimentally removed suffered higher mortality than those in which females were left intact. Arthropods such as spiders and ants were observed preying on the larvae. In contrast, the survivorship of broods from which females were removed and intruders were excluded with a sticky substance applied to the base of twigs was not different from that of control broods. These results demonstrate that the main mortality factor of offspring is pedestrian arthropod predators and females physically repel the predators.
• 4 Potentially alternative reproductive strategies, such as producing a large number of offspring by iteroparity and/or larger brood(s) with less or no care, seem to be inhibited in G.sibirica by larval dependence on growing young leaves which are temporally limited and by ovoviviparity which may have limited brood size.

     

Tannins and saponin: Interaction in herbivore diets

Mice allowed to choose between diets containing tannin or saponin did not experience food intake depression, weight loss or high faeces weight to food weight ratios. Diets containing tannin produced all these effects and saponin diets resulted in weight losses and high faeces to food ratios. Mice provided with diets containing both tannin and saponin in predetermined proportions experienced weight losses similar to, or greater than, those of mice fed diets containing either toxin alone. Urinary glucuronide production by mice provided with a choice of tannin and saponin diets was less than that of mice feeding on diets containing either tannin or saponin alone. Simultaneous consumption of tannin and saponin (in the right proportions) may promote chemical interactions that inhibit the toxins' absorption from the intestinal tract. This type of interaction is likely to have influenced the evolution of herbivore feeding behaviour.