Biology of Ixodes (Pholeoixodes) hexagonus under laboratory conditions Part II. Effect of mating on feeding and fecundity of females

The effect of mating on the feeding and fecundity ofIxodes (Pholeoixodes) hexagonus females was studied under controlled laboratory conditions of 22–23°C and 98% relative humidity. The feeding period of mated females was 6–15 days and 11–13 days for unmated females. The mean weight of the engorged mated females was 114.84±45.89 mg, whereas, that of the engorged unmated females was significantly lower (80.61±28.84 mg). During the initial slow feeding period, the weight of mated females increased 6.6 times. At the end of the blood feeding, they had increased their initial weight 35.5 times. Unmated females never entered the rapid engorgement phase and up to 12 days of feeding period their mean weight did not increase more than 9.2 times. The pre-oviposition periods of mated and unmated females were 6–15 days and 4–12 days, respectively. The mean of the egg production efficiency was 40.26±12.47% for mated females and 35.68±12.2% for unmated females. The mean of the mass conversion efficiency was 73.6±13.7% for mated females and 66.48 ±16.55% for unmated females. Sixty per cent of the eggs deposited by mated females hatched whereas only 1% of the eggs deposited by unmated females hatched. These results indicate thatI. hexagonus females possess some predisposition for parthenogenesis and only fertility and not fecundity depends on mating.     

Ticks in the ecotone: the impact of agri-environment field margins on the presence and intensity of Ixodes ricinus ticks (Acari: Ixodidae) in farmland in southern England

The present study aimed to assess whether agri-environment field margins provide a habitat for the sheep/deer tick Ixodes ricinus. Field studies were conducted in arable farmland in southern England in both extant and newly constructed field margins. The presence and intensity (i.e. the mean number of nymphs per transect, excluding zeros) of questing nymphs and adult I. ricinus were compared between field margins with three adjacent habitats: woodland, hedgerow and arable land. The presence and intensity of ticks within a field margin was also compared between three ecozones: the ecotone, the margin and the crop. It was found that field margins do support I. ricinus, although the intensity of ticks was associated with field margins with adjacent woodland, with a higher tick intensity along the ecotonal ecozone, compared with the rest of the margin or the crop edge. The presence of a hedge also increased the likelihood of finding questing nymphs in a field margin compared with a margin adjacent to arable land. This effect, however, was less pronounced than in field margins with adjacent woodland. The provision of footpaths within the margin (at least 1–2 m from the ecotone), or on the edge of the crop where paths run next to woodland known to be an important tick habitat, could be promoted to minimize tick exposure. In addition, based on the results of the present study, raising awareness that walking alongside woodlands also constitutes a tick risk could be promoted.     

Egg maturation and oviposition strategy of a capital breeder,Cleorodes lichenaria,feeding on lichens at the larval stage

Abstract 1. Capital breeders rely solely on resources acquired before breeding, whereas income breeders may obtain considerable amounts of resources following the commencement of reproduction. In income breeders oviposition occurs over a longer time period with a small number of eggs ready to be laid at the start of adult life, whereas capital breeders reproduce more rapidly and contain higher numbers of mature eggs at eclosion relative to potential fecundity. 2. This study explored egg maturation and oviposition strategy of a nocturnal geometrid moth, Cleorodes lichenaria. It was predicted, based on the long larval period of C. lichenaria and the known biology of other geometrids, that this lichen‐feeding geometrid moth concentrates egg production at the beginning of its breeding period and that external nutrients have a limited role on its fecundity. 3. Approximately 46% of eggs were ready to be laid in newly hatched females and approximately 40% of their potential fecundity was realised during the first night, after which the number and the weight of eggs decreased steadily. Feeding or drinking did not increase the fecundity of females. Pupal mass correlated positively with realised fecundity and ovigeny index. 4. Reproduction of C. lichenaria is based solely on larval‐derived resources. It is suggested that females are able to resorb thoracic tissues to increase fecundity and that this ability is probably linked to relatively long lifespan and low ovigeny index of this species, characteristics rarely observed in other geometrid moths.     

薇甘菊提取物对红脉穗螟的产卵忌避及杀卵作用

【目的】探讨入侵杂草薇甘菊Mikania micrantha对棕榈害虫红脉穗螟Tirathaba rufivena的产卵忌避活性。【方法】采用室内生物测定法,研究薇甘菊不同溶剂提取物对红脉穗螟的产卵忌避作用和杀卵活性。【结果】产卵忌避试验结果表明,薇甘菊各提取物中,以正己烷和三氯甲烷提取物对红脉穗螟的产卵忌避效果最好,两者的选择性忌避率分别为43.64%和44.20%,非选择性忌避率分别为51.60%和59.20%。对卵孵化率的影响显示,各溶剂提取物均对红脉穗螟具有一定的杀卵活性,其中三氯甲烷提取物对卵孵化率的影响最大,校正孵化率最低,仅为53.39%,而且三氯甲烷提取物引起的1龄幼虫的死亡率最高,可达42.64%。在薇甘菊三氯甲烷提取物的不同溶剂萃取物中,正丁醇萃取物对红脉穗螟的产卵忌避和杀卵活性均显著高于其他溶剂萃取物。【结论】薇甘菊提取物具有一定的产卵忌避和杀卵活性,具有用于红脉穗螟的生态防控的潜力。