Melanic through nature or nurture: genetic polymorphism and phenotypic plasticity in Harmonia axyridis

Abstract Individuals can adapt to heterogeneity in their environment through either local adaptation or phenotypic plasticity. Colour forms of the ladybird Harmonia axyridis are a classic example of local adaptation, in which the frequency of melanic forms varies greatly between populations. In some populations, there are also large seasonal changes in allele frequency, with melanism being costly in summer and beneficial in winter. We report that the non‐melanic morph of H. axyridis dramatically increases its degree of melanization at cold temperatures. Furthermore, there is genetic variation in reaction norms, with different families responding to temperature in different ways. Variation at different spatial and temporal scales appears to have selected for either genetic or phenotypically plastic adaptations, which may be important in thermoregulation. As melanism is known to have a large effect on fitness in H. axyridis, this plasticity of melanization may have hastened its spread as an invasive species.     

Effects of a larval antipredator response and larval diet on adult phenotype in an aposematic ladybird beetle

Many ladybird beetles respond to a potential predation event by `reflex bleeding' or secreting a noxious defensive chemical that is similar to hemolymph. Both adults and larvae show this response. Reflex bleeding is known to reduce predator attack rates and increase prey survival after an attack, especially when reflex bleeding is employed in combination with other cues such as odor and warning coloration. In this experiment, we examined how variability in the number of reflex bleeding events and food quality in the larval stage of the aposematic ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis affected elytral color, development time, and terminal size in adults. Effects of reflex bleeding were subtle and may have been influenced by diet treatments. Adult color did not differ between bleed treatment groups but beetles that reflex bled tended to take longer to develop and grow to smaller sizes than control group beetles. There were clear and strong effects of larval diet on adult phenotype: an ad libitum pollen diet resulted in paler adult coloration, shorter development time, and larger adult size relative to a limited-availability aphid diet. Our results suggest that the best environment for producing bright-red coloration may not be the best environment for favorable expression of life history characters, especially under stressful conditions. Interactions between different life history stages of H. axyridis are also discussed. Received: 20 April 1997 / Accepted: 30 September 1997     

A one‐step,single tube,duplex PCR to detect predation by native predators on invasive Bemisia tabaci MEAM1 and Frankliniella occidentalis

Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) MEAM1 (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), two important invasive species, are serious agricultural pests. In this study, a one‐step, single tube, duplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was developed to allow rapid, specific, and sensitive identification of B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis in predator guts. The system and conditions used for the duplex PCR were optimized. The species specificity of the duplex PCR determined by comparison against non‐targets that might interact with B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis showed that oligonucleotide primers amplified nuclear gene target sequences present only in B. tabaci MEAM1 or F. occidentalis. The limits of detection were 9.53 ng μl^?1 for B. tabaci MEAM1 and 8.94 ng μl^?1 for F. occidentalis. Within a field cage study, in which predators Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Orius sauteri (Poppius) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) were allowed to feed on B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis for 10 h, the B. tabaci MEAM1 DNA was detectable in 100% of H. axyridis and O. sauteri, and F. occidentalis DNA was detectable in 80% of H. axyridis and 90% of O. sauteri; this implicated that B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis remains could be detected in native predator guts simultaneously. The accuracy and reliability of the assay suggested strongly that the duplex PCR optimized for B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis is sensitive and specific for both invasive insects and is therefore useful in early diagnosis and monitoring of B. tabaci MEAM1 and F. occidentalis infections, and can be used to identify domestic predator species and food web relationships.     

The challenge of predicting temperature effects on short-term predator–prey dynamics

Understanding how interacting species respond to changing temperatures is complicated because both inter- and intraspecific processes can be temperature-dependent, and because the dynamics of interest often occur over short time scales. While efforts to document and integrate inter- and intraspecific effects are ongoing, few broad conclusions have emerged. Here, we use a simple structured predator–prey model to explore whether some such conclusions can be reached with incomplete knowledge about initial population sizes or about how temperature alters predation rates. We find that, despite strong sensitivity of quantitative predictions to the model’s details, qualitative predictions for how predator–prey communities respond to temperature may still be possible. As a case study, we ask whether biological control of the herbivorous insect pea aphid will be strengthened or weakened by increasing temperatures. Our empirically derived parameter estimates suggest biological control will be strengthened, but we caution that this result is not inevitable given what we currently know about the effects of temperature in this system. Our work highlights the complex interaction between inter- and intraspecific effects of temperature in ecological communities.     

The effect of past natural enemy activity on host‐plant preference of two aphid species

The selection of a host of high nutritional quality is of great importance to the development of offspring of larvipositing aphids, as is the avoidance of natural enemies. Little is known, however, about their ability to select host plants based on these factors. This article tests the preference of aphids Sitobion avenae (Fabricius) and Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (both Hemiptera: Aphididae) for different winter wheat cultivars, Triticum aestivum (L.) (Poaceae), and their ability to detect and avoid predators in sacrifice of their most preferred host. In both species a preference was observed for nutritionally superior hosts. The preference of both species then exhibited a change towards a nutritionally inferior host after infestations of the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), that had been consuming conspecific aphids. This investigation opens the door to the interesting prospect of the ability of aphids to make complex decisions regarding a compromise between high‐quality nutrition and avoidance of predation.     

异色瓢虫与隐斑瓢虫的区别及其色斑型和横脊的频率

异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis(Pallas)和隐斑瓢虫H.yedoensis(Takizawa)是亲缘关系很近的姐妹种,在中国(北京到南岭,西至甘肃南部和西藏东部)、日本(北海道以南)和南韩等地同域分布,常常在松树等植物上共存。长期以来,隐斑瓢虫被认为是异色瓢虫的一个异名。有时从外形上很难区分这2种瓢虫,因此对于依据野外数据,分析异色瓢虫色斑型和鞘翅横脊的发生频率及小进化会产生一些错误。本文从没有隐斑瓢虫分布的东北地区的材料及其他数据,报道异色瓢虫的色斑型及鞘翅横脊发生频率。异色瓢虫的花斑型在我国东部地区(从东北至广东北部,西至甘肃和云南)发生率很低,而在新疆西北部发生率较高。鞘翅横脊的发生率从东北佳木斯的98.85%降低到云南大理的78.26%。本文列出了区分这2种瓢虫的形态特征及自然分布。如果鞘翅具横脊,则属于异色瓢虫,但如果标本来自2种瓢虫的共存区,鞘翅没有横脊,鞘翅的斑纹呈花斑型、四窗型或二窗型,则很难从外部形态上对它们进行鉴定。但这2种瓢虫的幼虫很容易区分。本文还提供了2种瓢虫的雄性外生殖器形态图、幼虫和成虫。     

7种杀虫剂对苹果黄蚜和异色瓢虫的毒力及选择毒性研究

为了研究常用杀虫剂对苹果黄蚜(Aphis citricola Van der Goot)及其天敌昆虫异色瓢虫(Harmonia axyridis Pallas)不同时间段的毒力及选择性,解决有害生物化学防治与生物防治的矛盾,本试验采用滤纸片法测定了7种杀虫剂对苹果黄蚜和异色瓢虫的室内毒力,并分析了各杀虫剂对两种昆虫的选择毒力.结果表明,10%烯啶虫胺水剂对苹果黄蚜和异色瓢虫的毒力最高,21%噻虫嗪悬浮剂对异色瓢虫的选择安全性最高.21%噻虫嗪悬浮剂具有较高的正向选择性,既可有效控制苹果黄蚜,同时还具有较高的毒力选择性,其适合在果园与蚜虫天敌异色瓢虫协同防治苹果黄蚜.     

11种杀螨剂对异色瓢虫的安全性比较

本研究选用9种常用杀螨剂及2种新型杀螨剂螺虫乙酯、米尔贝霉素,在其田间推荐使用浓度范围内分别设高、中、低三个试验剂量,用喷雾法直接处理异色瓢虫幼虫、蛹、成虫,以比较药剂对该瓢虫的安全性。主要研究结果如下：1）通过调查24h、48h死亡率,发现11种杀螨剂对异色瓢虫3龄幼虫毒杀效果由高至低依次为三唑锡＞双甲脒＞阿维菌素＞甲氰菊酯＞炔螨特＞哒螨灵＞噻螨酮＞米尔贝霉素＞甲维盐＞螺螨酯=螺虫乙酯,其中螺螨酯和螺虫乙酯处理的幼虫死亡率均为0。2）除阿维菌素、甲氰菊酯和甲维盐外,其它8种杀螨剂对蛹羽化为成虫基本没影响。11种杀螨剂对刚羽化出的成虫有残毒作用,毒效由高至低依次为阿维菌素＞甲维盐＞双甲脒＞甲氰菊酯＞螺螨酯＞三唑锡＞哒螨灵＞噻螨酮＞炔螨特＞螺虫乙酯＞米尔贝霉素,其中后6种药剂处理的新羽化成虫死亡率在13.8%以下。3）双甲脒、螺螨酯、三唑锡、哒螨灵、噻螨酮、炔螨特处理成虫的死亡率为0,其余5种药剂对成虫的毒杀效果由高至低依次为阿维菌素＞甲氰菊酯＞甲维盐＞螺虫乙酯＞米尔贝霉素。为了保护异色瓢虫,田间化学防治叶螨时应根据该瓢虫发生虫态合理选用杀螨剂。     

Effects of competition,cannibalism and intra‐guild predation on larval development of the European coccinellid Adalia bipunctata and the invasive species Harmonia axyridis

Abstract 1. Resource competition and intra‐guild predation (IGP) are important determinants of the structure of aphidophagous guilds. The likelihood and outcome of IGP is influenced by the density of extra‐guild prey and the characteristics of the species involved. 2. The nature of intra‐guild interactions between alien and indigenous coccinellids often determines the success of coccinellid invasions, as exemplified by Adalia bipunctata in Japan and Harmonia axyridis in North America and Europe. 3. Harmonia axyridis has negatively impinged on indigenous species in its introduced range, and its recent arrival in Britain poses a threat for members of native aphidophagous guilds. IGP and inter‐specific competition between H. axyridis and British coccinellids are predicted to occur. However, the results of such interactions have been little studied. 4. Here we investigate the effects of different diets, designed to mimic possible conditions in the wild, on the survival, development, and adult size of H. axyridis and A. bipunctata. Results demonstrate a skew in the consequences of IGP between the two species: the supplementation of a limited aphid diet with non‐conspecific eggs leads to a significant advantage for H. axyridis in respect of all parameters assessed, but gives no benefit to A. bipunctata. 5. We conclude that IGP of A. bipunctata by H. axyridis will contribute to the spread and increase of H. axyridis in Britain. 6. We further conclude that the skewed nature of IGP between A. bipunctata and H. axyridis at least in part explains the limited spread of A. bipunctata in Japan.