Plant phenology-mediated indirect effects: The gall midge opens the phenological window wider for a leaf beetle

We examined whether larvae of the gall midge Rabdophaga rigidae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) can modify the seasonal dynamics of the density of a leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), by modifying the leaf flushing phenology of its host willow species, Salix serissaefolia and Salix eriocarpa (Salicaceae). To test this, we conducted field observations and a laboratory experiment. The field observations demonstrated that the leaf flushing phenology of the willows and the seasonal dynamics of the beetle density differed between shoots with stem galls and shoots without them. On galled shoots of both willow species, secondary shoot growth and secondary leaf production were promoted; consequently, leaf production showed a bimodal pattern and leaf production periods were 1 to 2 months longer than on non‐galled shoots. The adult beetle density on galled shoots was thus enhanced late in the season, and was found to change seasonally, synchronizing with the production of new leaves on the host willow species. From the results of our laboratory experiment, we attributed this synchrony between adult beetle density and willow leaf flush to beetles’ preference to eat new leaves rather than old. Indeed, beetles consumed five times more of the young leaves when they were fed both young and old leaves. These results indicate that stem galls indirectly enhance the adult beetle density by enhancing food quality and quantity late in the beetle‐feeding season. We therefore conclude that midge galls widen the phenological window for leaf beetles by extending the willows’ leaf flush periods.     

Survivorship and growth in the larvae of Luehdorfia japonica feeding on old leaves of Asarum megacalyx

Although the papilionid butterfly Luehdorfia japonica, usually lays eggs on new leaves of the host plant (Asarum sp.; Aristolochiaceae), eggs of the butterfly were frequently found on old leaves of Asarum megacalyx in Suyama, Tokamachi, Niigata prefecture. Larvae hatched on new leaves and those hatched on old leaves did not show significant differences in their survival rate in the field. In laboratory breeding, about 90% of larvae that were fed old leaves survived and developed normally to the pupal stage. Their growth rate, however, was slightly lower than those that were fed new leaves. No nutritional differences were found between the old and new leaves. The reason why oviposition on the old leaves was so frequent and why larvae that hatched on old leaves could survive in the study area is discussed.     

Evaluation ofMicrothrix inconspicuella, [Lepidoptera: Pyralidae], a potential biological control agent forEmex australis in Australia,carried out in apple orchards in South Africa

Host specificity tests carried out in the laboratory in Australia during 1977, showed thatMicrothrix inconspicuella Ragonot could develop on young apple leaves (Harley et al., 1979). Field studies in unsprayed apple orchards in South Africa showed that some feeding occurred, but fewer than 40% of late instar larvae developed to adults when confined in sleeves on apple tree branches. No feeding or survival occurred in large field cages or in the open. Adults which developed from apple fed larvae were smaller, deformed, occasionally mated and laid fertile eggs but their progeny did not feed or develop on apple fruit or leaves. In conclusion,M. inconspicuella larvae did not develop on apple fruit or leaves in the field, damage was mainly limited to apples already injured and feeding on leaves was minimal. Under normal pest control practicesM. inconspicuella populations did not survive on any part of the apple tree or onE. australis growing under the trees.      

Female's preference for oviposition site and larval performance in the water-lily beetle,Galerucella nymphaeae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Water-lily beetles prefer younger rather than older water-lily leaves as oviposition sites. By the time of hatching, however, young leaves have aged consieerably. Larval performance of the water-lily beetle was measured on different types of leaves of the yellow water-lily and compared with oviposition preference of females. The leaf types used in the experiments were categorized as (i) young, (ii) natal (medium-aged) and (iii) old. The natal leaves were the ones on which larvae from a particular egg-batch had hatched. There were two sets of experiments. First, larvae were raised from eggs to pupae on young and on old leaves. Second, the growth of the 1st-instar larvae was measured on young, natal, and old leaves. The development time from egg to pupa did not differ between young and old leaves, but larvae growing on young leaves attained a higher pupal weight. In the second experiment the 1st-instar larvae grew fastest on their natal leaves, but there was also variation in the growth rate of progeny from different egg-batches. Larval growth on young and old leaves did not differ significantly. Larvae tried to emigrate much less from natal than other types of leaves. Females tended to lay eggs on leaves where larval growth was fastest. It seems that medium-aged leaves are best for larval growth, but the leaf characteristics responsible for this remain unresolved.     

Influence of thrips prey species on the life-history and behaviour of Orius albidipennis

The effects of two diets, i.e., cowpea leaves plus Megalurothrips sjostedti larvae versus cowpea leaves alone, on nymphal development and mortality of Orius albidipennis were studied under controlled laboratory conditions in Benin, West Africa. Nymphal development was longer when O. albidipennis was fed with cowpea leaves only, compared to the diet complemented with M. sjostedti larvae (17.6 days versus 14.8, respectively). Nymphal mortality was very high (78.6%) if fed with cowpea leaves only, and still relatively high if the diet was complemented with thrips larvae (44.4%).In a separate study on the longevity and fecundity of O. albidipennis adult females feeding on M. sjostedtilarvae, an average of 6.8 eggs per day (maximum 16 eggs) and a mean total fecundity of 61.1 eggs were observed. The females lived on average 13.5 days.Finally, observations on the predation by O. albidipennis adults on three different thrips species revealed that M. sjostedti larvae were killed at a lower rate than larvae of Ceratothripoides cameroni and Frankliniella schultzei. Higher predation rates were measured using unmated females and males than in mated females. However, the rate of first attack, measured as first larva attacked in dual-choice assays, was higher for M. sjostedti when a F. schultzei larva was offered simultaneously, and not different when a C. cameroni or Sericothrips adolfifridericilarva was offered.The results of this study are discussed with regard to the lack of efficacy of O. albidipennis as biological control agent for M. sjostedti.     

Chlorogenic acid as an antiherbivore defence of willows against leaf beetles

In the leaves of 13 Finnish willow species, the content of a phenolic, chlorogenic acid, was found to vary from 0 up to 18 mg g^–1 D.W. Effects of pure chlorogenic acid on insect feeding behaviour were tested using four common leaf beetle species which are in the field mainly found on willows with low-chlorogenic acid leaves. One species, Lochmaea capreae L., was invariably deterred by pure chlorogenic acid applied in naturally occurring concentrations on the willow leaves. Accordingly, in 2-choice laboratory feeding trials L. capreae was found to prefer low-chlorogenic acid leaves of four willow species over high-chlorogenic acid leaves of Salix pentandra L. and S. myrsinifolia Salisb. When presented on the leaves of S. phylicifolia L, pure chlorogenic acid inhibited also the feeding by Phratora polaris Sp.-Schn. Instead, chlorogenic acid had no significant effect on Ph. polaris when it was presented on the leaves of another willow S. cinerea L. In laboratory, Ph. polaris did not show general preference for willow species with low chlorogenic acid content in their leaves. Thus, the response of Ph. polaris to chlorogenic acid seems to depend on the plant species. Apparently variation in other traits such as leaf hairyness may easily override the potential effect of chlorogenic acid content on Ph. polaris. To two other leaf beetle species, Galerucella lineola F. and Plagiodera versicolora Laich., chlorogenic acid is an ineffective deterrent even at unnaturally high concentrations. In laboratory, G. lineola and P. versicolora did not prefer willows with low chlorogenic acid content in their leaves. Thus, among four studied leaf beetle species, only L. capreae seems to be clearly affected by this phenolic. Therefore, overall importance of chlorogenic acid as a defence against willow-feeding leaf beetles appears to be very limited.     

The influence of phenolic compounds on the suitability of three Salix species as hosts for the willow beetle Phratora vulgatissima

The phenolic glycosides salicin and salicortin were found to influence larval growth and development rates and adult feeding preference of Phratora vulgatissima in laboratory feeding studies. Salicortin was more toxic to larvae than salicin, and none of the third instar larvae fed on Salix viminalis leaves amended with 1.52% (fresh mass) salicortin pupated. Condensed tannins (proanthocyanadins) did not affect larval performance. It was concluded that Salix burjatica resistance to willow beetle is due to the high levels of salicortin which occur in leaves of this species.     

Diamondback moth oviposition: effects of host plant and herbivory

The oviposition behaviour of Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) on Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. Pekinensis, cv. Wombok), canola (Brassica napus L. cv. Thunder TT), and cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. Capitata, cv. sugarloaf) (Brassicaceae) was studied in the laboratory. In no‐choice experiments moths laid most eggs on the stems and lower three leaves of cabbage plants, the lower three leaves of canola plants, but on the upper three leaves of Chinese cabbage plants. The effects of conspecific herbivore damage to foliage could be replicated by mechanical damage. When foliage was damaged, injured cabbage and canola plants were preferred for oviposition over intact conspecifics, whereas injured Chinese cabbage plants were less preferred than intact conspecifics. However, when root tissue was damaged, intact cabbage and canola plants were preferred over injured conspecifics, whereas moths did not discriminate between root‐damaged and intact Chinese cabbage plants. Injury to upper leaves significantly affected the intra‐plant distribution of eggs. In cabbage and canola plants, injury to leaf 6 significantly increased the number of eggs laid on this leaf, resulting in a significant decrease in the number of eggs laid on the lower foliage/stem of plants, whereas in Chinese cabbage plants it significantly decreased the number of eggs laid on leaf 6. Following oviposition on intact plants, neonate larvae established the vast majority of feeding sites on leaves 5–8 in all three host plants, indicating that larvae moved a considerable distance from preferred oviposition sites in cabbage and canola plants. The growth rate of neonates fed on leaf‐6 tissue was significantly greater than that of those fed on leaf‐1 tissue; >90% of larvae completed development when fed exclusively on leaf‐6 tissue but no larvae completed development when fed exclusively on leaf‐1 tissue. The study demonstrates the complex and unpredictable interactions between P. xylostella and its host plants and provides a basis from which we can begin to understand observed distributions of the pest in Brassica crops.     

Leaf surface preference in the cabbage worm,Pieris rapae crucivora,and parasitism by the gregarious parasitoid Cotesia glomerata

Leaf surface preference of the cabbage worm, Pieris rapae crucivora Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), for cabbage, Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata (Brassicaceae), and parasitism by the parasitoid Cotesia glomerata (L.) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were investigated experimentally in the laboratory. Female butterflies did not discriminate between the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of cabbage leaves when laying eggs on a vertically placed leaf. Larvae also did not discriminate between the adaxial and abaxial surfaces throughout their larval life. However, second and third instars preferred the lower surface of horizontally placed leaves to the upper surface, irrespective of whether they had hatched on the upper or lower side; other instars showed no preference for the lower surface. Parasitism rates of first and second instars on the upper surface were higher than those of larvae on the lower surface. Egg distribution on leaf surfaces and the leaf surface preference by young larvae are discussed in terms of avoidance of parasitism by the parasitoid C. glomerata.     

Complementary Behaviors of Maternal and Offspring <Emphasis Type="Italic">Spodoptera littoralis</Emphasis>: Oviposition Site Selection and Larval Movement Together Maximize Performance

The selection of oviposition and feeding sites within cotton plants by Spodoptera littoralis was investigated in the field in 2 years, 2007 and 2008. The female moths exhibited significant oviposition preference for young leaves (YL), particularly the 3rd and 4th leaves from top. The larvae originating from egg batches deposited on YL fed mostly in situ for about 5 days, after which they gradually moved their feeding site toward fully expanded or mature leaves on the same individual plant or on neighboring plants. Larvae hatching from batches deposited on fully expanded leaves (FE) fed in situ only for about 2 days, after which they moved toward younger leaves, where they fed for about 3 more days. After the fifth day, however, larvae of the two groups dispersed mainly downward and outward from their hatching site until the end of a 12-day observation. Larvae hatching from eggs deposited on mature or pre-senescent leaves (MP) moved mainly horizontally to other plants after a slight upward shift. The YL and FE larvae grew significantly faster than MP larvae, both in the field and in a laboratory experiment. In the laboratory experiment, the larval period was shorter and the pupal weight was higher when the animals were offered young leaves or young and fully expanded leaves, than when the animals were offered mature and pre-senescent leaves during the first 5 days after hatching. Possible causes and advantages of the exhibited oviposition preference, as well as the apparent ability of larvae to correct for small egg misplacements made by the females, are discussed.     

Movement and feeding patterns of Epilachna cucurbitae Richards (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae) on pumpkin and zucchini plants2

The oviposition patterns of adults and the movement and feeding patterns of larvae of Epilachna cucurbitae on two species of cucurbits, Cucurbita maxima cv Queensland Blue and C. pepo cv Blackjack, were studied in the field and laboratory. The physical and nutritional characteristics of host plant leaves of different ages were described. Younger leaves had higher nitrogen contents but were less abundant, smaller and had higher trichome densities than older leaves. The development of first instar larvae was delayed by the leaf hairs on young and mature pumpkin leaves which prevented larvae from reaching the leaf surface to feed First instal larvae developed more quickly on leaves rich in nitrogen. Neither the total developmental time of larvae nor the size of pupae was affected by leafage because larvae on poor quality leaves compensated by eating more. Female beetles oviposited on all but the youngest and oldest leaves of the host plant. The trichomes on young leaves prevented females from attaching eggs to the leaf surface. First instar larvae remained where they hatched, but older larvae were more mobile, Changing feeding sites frequently and moving progressively to younger, more nutritious leaves. Final instar larvae moved onto adjacent vegetation to pupate. The adaptive significance of these patterns is discussed in relation to the nutritional value, hairiness and abundance of host plant leaves of different ages and the physical limitations of different larval instars.     

Nitrogen homeostasis in a willow leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora, is independent of host plant quality

While foliar nitrogen (N) content of host plants depends on environmental conditions, N content of herbivorous insects may remain relatively constant due to homeostasis. However, it is unknown to what extent insects can maintain their body elemental composition against natural variation in host plant quality. The present study examined the performance and N content of a willow leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), when fed leaves of host willow, Salix eriocarpa Franchet et Savatier (Salicaceae), with varying nutritional status. Water content, toughness, and N content of willow leaves varied seasonally, and they affected performance of the leaf beetle. The leaf beetle achieved high performance when fed young leaves. On the other hand, the N content of the leaf beetle changed little, and it was independent of that of willow leaves, indicating strong N homeostasis of the leaf beetle. We discussed the function of N homeostasis in herbivorous insects in tritrophic level interactions.     

Does Rust Infection of Willow Affect Feeding and Oviposition Behavior of Willow Leaf Beetles?

Willows are often attacked by both herbivorous insects and rust fungi. Little is known about interactions between these two willow enemies. We studied whether feeding and oviposition behavior of the willow leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora upon the willow hybrid Salix x cuspidata is affected when the rust fungus Melampsora allii-fragilis has attacked the plant. Laboratory bioassays revealed that adult willow leaf beetles significantly avoided feeding and oviposition on rust-infected leaves when compared to healthy leaves. Further bioassays aimed to elucidate the temporal and spatial scale of effects of rust infection on feeding behavior of adults. While infected parts of leaves were avoided at all times past infection tested (8, 12, and 16 days), symptom-free parts of infected leaves were only avoided 16 days past infection. Systemic effects extended only one leaf position up and two leaf positions down from the infection site.     

Effects of Bean Leaf Age on Pathogenicity by Botrytis fabae

Leaves from field bean plants grown out of doors were inoculated with conidia of B. fabae immediately after detaching from stems. The oldest leaves developed more lesions than youngest ones, although they were not chlorotic. On intact plants at high humidities, established lesions on young leaves increased in size at only half the rate of those on old. but still green leaves. Seven days after inoculation a higher proportion of lesions on old leaves bore conidia than those on young leaves, but leaf age had no significant effect on numbers of conidia per mm² of lesion area. Young leaflets from bean plants grown in a controlled environment or in the field challenged with β. cinerea accumulated more phytoalexins than did old ones.     

Leaf age and life history variables of a leafminer: the case of Liriomyza trifolii on potato leaves

Field observations and laboratory experiments have demonstrated that infestation by the serpentine leaf miner, Liriomyza trifolii Burgess (Diptera: Agromyzidae), begins in the lower leaves of the potato plant, and proceeds through the middle leaves to those of the upper canopy. In choice and no‐choice experiments, mated adult L. trifolii females were given access for 48 h to potato plants, and caged on differently aged leaves. The extent of their feeding and oviposition on the 5–7 leaflets of the upper, middle, and lower leaves were recorded. The life history variables of the next generation were estimated: percentage egg hatch, number of mines formed, larval survival, number of pupae formed, size and weight of pupae, percentage pupation, number of adults formed, percentage emergence, size and weight of adults, sex ratio, adult longevity, and their reproductive performance. The results showed that L. trifolii females laid fewer eggs on the upper leaves, which were poor hosts for larvae. However, a comparison of oviposition behavior between the middle and lower leaves showed that the data did not fit the oviposition preference–offspring performance hypothesis, which postulates that females preferentially oviposit on hosts on which larvae perform best. Females exhibited a preference for the larger, older, lower leaves, although the middle leaves were superior for the growth and development of the young stages. It is hypothesized that adult ovipositional preference for the older, larger, and thicker leaves of the lower foliage may be influenced by factors other than resource quality for larvae.     

Orientation Behavior,Development and Survival of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichoplusia ni</Emphasis> (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Larvae on Cotton Expressing Cry1Ac and Cry2Ab and Conventional Cotton

This study was conducted to determine the effects of Bt cotton leaves (Bollgard II), non-Bt cotton leaves, and a mixture of Bt+non-Bt cotton leaves on larval orientation behavior, survival and development of Trichoplusia ni in the laboratory. Results indicate that in a no-choice test, more first and fifth instars remained on Bt leaves than the third instars. All larvae that remained on the leaves gradually moved to leaf edge. In the choice between a Bt and a non-Bt leaf, more first instars moved to non-Bt leaves, whereas the third and fifth instars did not show significant difference in the first 8 h, but eventually more moved to non-Bt leaves. More first instars fed non-Bt leaves than third instars and fifth instars. When larvae fed Bt leaves, 100% of first instars, 92.7% of third instars and 51.1% of fifth instars died in 108 h. Once larvae pupated, >90% developed to adults. First and third instars that fed Bt leaves developed slower but their pupae developed faster than those on Bt+non-Bt leaves, whereas fifth instars developed similar on the three types of leaves. First and third instars that fed Bt+non-Bt leaves resulted in less heavy pupae than those fed non-Bt leaves; whereas the fifth instars that survived on Bt leaves produced lighter pupae.     

Spatial distribution of interacting insect predators: Possible roles of intraguild predation and the surrounding habitat

Predator foraging behaviour affects the outcome of enemy–enemy interactions. Using a combination of fieldwork and laboratory experiments, we show that intraguild predation may be important in the field distribution of generalist predators that share a common prey: the eggs (and larvae) of the leaf beetle Phratora vulgatissima, a major insect pest in coppicing willow plantations. We focused on a species from the hoverfly genus Parasyrphus (Syrphidae), which may exhibit large temporal and spatial variation in density. Predator and prey densities were quantified in 40 field plots in willow plantations. The likelihood of finding hoverfly eggs declined with increasing densities of two predatory mirids, Orthotylus marginalis and Closterotomus fulvomaculatus, which exhibit less mobile behaviour similar to that of hoverfly larvae. The density of a more mobile predatory bug species, the anthocorid Anthocoris nemorum, was not associated with hoverfly occurrence. These results corroborate the hypothesis that less mobile predators should be stronger intraguild predators than mobilepredators. Further partial support for this hypothesis was obtained in the laboratory study where individual predators were presented with clutches of P. vulgatissima eggs containing one hoverfly egg: the less mobile C. fulvomaculatus and O. marginalis tended to consume the hoverfly egg more readily than the more mobile A. nemorum. However, most individuals of all three bug species consumed the egg of the potential competitor – the syrphid – within 24 h. The field study also showed that hoverfly occurrence was positively associated with the density of their prey and with the presence of nearby forests. We conclude that intraguild predation, abundance of prey and the surrounding habitat affect the distribution of hoverflies in this system and should be considered when developing biological control methods.     

Effects of host variety on blue willow beetle Phratora vulgatissima performance

Phratora vulgatissima adults exhibit feeding preferences among willow varieties, yet little is known of the effects of willow variety on larval and adult performance. The effects of host variety on adult fitness and fecundity as well as on larval mortality and development were studied under laboratory conditions for 35 willow varieties. The host variety significantly affected the number of days that adults survived and the rates of weight change. On average, males lost weight and females gained weight. The total number of eggs, eggs day¹, eggs clutch^?1 and the length of the oviposition period were also significantly affected by willow variety. Progeny from eggs laid by adults fed on the different willow varieties showed significant differences in days to pupation and pupal weight when subsequently reared on Salix × dasyclados or on the same variety as fed to the adults. However, there was no correlation between these parameters on S. × dasyclados and the variety fed to adults. The willow variety fed to larvae significantly affected larval mortality (four varieties caused 100% mortality), the shape of larval growth curves (as measured by predicted final weight and time to half the final weight), the number of days to pupation and pupal weight. There were significant positive correlations between previously determined adult P. vulgatissima feeding preferences of the 35 willow varieties and the following: number of eggs laid, length of the oviposition period, larval mortality and development and change in adult weight. There was a considerable degree of variation in these correlations and some varieties did not follow the general trend indicated by the size or sign of particular correlations, for example, having a high feeding preference ranking yet few eggs laid, low larval weight and longer time to pupation. The differences found between varieties for adult and larval performance in conjunction with previously established feeding preferences offer great potential for utilising plant resistance to P. vulgatissima as a means of strategic control. Despite the general correlation of feeding preference and performance parameters, the results found here suggest that it appears to be possible for plant breeders to circumvent this trend.     

Spruce budworm growth,development and food utilization on young and old balsam fir trees

Laboratory rearing of spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, in conjunction with field rearing, gravimetric analyses, a transfer experiment, and foliage chemical analyses at six dates during the period of budworm feeding activity indicated that the age of balsam fir, Abies balsamea, trees (70-year-old mature trees or 30-year-old juvenile trees) affected tree suitability for the spruce budworm via the chemical profile of the foliage. Insects reared on old trees had greater survival and pupal weight, shorter development times, and caused more defoliation than those reared on young trees. Young trees were more suitable for the development of young larvae (instars 2–5), while old trees were more suitable for the development of older, sixth-instar larvae. These results were confirmed by the laboratory transfer experiment. Young larvae fed foliage from young trees had higher relative growth rates (RGR), digestibility (AD), and efficiency of conversion of ingested foliage (ECI) than those fed foliage from old trees. These differences appeared to be related to the high N:tannins ratio, and the high contents of P present in young trees during the development of the young larvae. Old larvae fed foliage from old trees had higher relative growth rates, relative consumption rates (RCR), and digestibility of the foliage than those fed foliage from young trees. The high digestibility of the foliage of old trees was compensated for by a lower efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD), which in turn resulted in no significant effect of tree age on the efficiency of conversion of ingested foliage by old larvae. The low relative consumption rate of old larvae fed foliage from young trees appeared to be related to the low N:tannins ratio, and the high contents of bornyl acetate, terpinolene, and °-3-carene present in young trees during the budworm sixth instar. Variations in these compounds in relation to tree age may serve as mechanisms of balsam fir resistance to spruce budworm by reducing the feeding rate of sixth instar larvae.     

Leaf beetle larvae,Plagiodera versicolora (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), show decreased performance on uninfested host plants exposed to airborne factors from plants infested by conspecific larvae

Undamaged plants are known to suffer less damage from herbivores when previously exposed to airborne factors from neighboring plants that are either infested or artificially damaged. However, to date, the effects of such a defensive phenomenon on performance of herbivorous insects have not been clearly shown. Here, we studied such effects in an interaction between a willow plant, Salix eriocarpa Franchet et Savatier (Salicales: Salicaceae), and a specialist leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora (Laicharting) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). In a wind tunnel, uninfested willow plants were placed downwind of willow plants infested by leaf beetle larvae for 4 days. As a control, we placed uninfested plants downwind of uninfested plants in the tunnel. After exposure, downwind plants were served to leaf beetle larvae. Pupal weight, larval survival rates, and the leaf area consumed by larvae all decreased significantly, and larval developmental duration increased significantly, when larvae fed on willow plants downwind of infested plants were compared with those downwind of uninfested plants. These results showed that airborne factors from infested willow plants negatively affected the performance of leaf beetle larvae. Further studies are needed to identify the active factor(s) from the infested willow plants affecting the performance of leaf beetle larvae.