Nectar feeding by the early-spring mosquito Aedes provocans

Abstract. Nectar feeding by males and females of the mosquito Aedes provocans was studied at a site near Belleville, Ontario, Canada. Canada plum, Prunus nigra , and especially pin cherry, P. pensylvanica , bloomed contemporaneously with the emergence of Ae. provocans and were important nectar sources for adult mosquitoes during their first week of life. Blossoms of P. pensylvanica shielded for 24 h from foragers produced an average of 0.14 mg of sugar (≅ 2.3 J). This nectar was avidly sought by both sexes of Ae.provocans; > 97% of the blossoms were visited by mosquitoes in the first few days of blooming. Young adult mosquitoes were found on blossoms at all hours of the day and night; feeding on P. nigra was strongly eocrepuscular, whereas on P.pensylvanica feeding was much less strongly periodic. Adults foraged for nectar in an energy-conserving, pedestrian strategy, devoting 56% (females) and 68% (males) of their time on blossoms to nectar feeding during foraging bouts that lasted a median of 5.3min. Both sexes sought nectar soon after emergence - males before they had completed hypopygial rotation or swarmed, and females before mating or host seeking. Female Ae.provocans sought nectar in all stages of oogenesis, but primarily at the initiation of a gonotrophic cycle. Energy stores in the crop averaged 18 J per female, with a distribution that depended on gonotrophic age and parity.     

Perception of insect feeding by plants

The recognition of phytophagous insects by plants induces a set of very specific responses aimed at deterring tissue consumption and reprogramming metabolism and development of the plant to tolerate the herbivore. The recognition of insects by plants requires the plant’s ability to perceive chemical cues generated by the insects and to distinguish a particular pattern of tissue disruption. Relatively little is known about the molecular basis of insect perception by plants and the signalling mechanisms directly associated with this perception. Importantly, the insect feeding behaviour (piercing‐sucking versus chewing) is a decisive determinant of the plant’s defence response, and the mechanisms used to perceive insects from different feeding guilds may be distinct. During insect feeding, components of the saliva of chewing or piercing‐sucking insects come into contact with plant cells, and elicitors or effectors present in this insect‐derived fluid are perceived by plant cells to initiate the activation of specific signalling cascades. Although receptor–ligand interactions controlling insect perception have yet not been molecularly described, a significant number of regulatory components acting downstream of receptors and involved in the activation of defence responses against insects has been reported. Some of these regulators mediate changes in the phytohormone network, while others directly control gene expression or the redox state of the cell. These processes are central in the orchestration of plant defence responses against insects.     

Biogeographic position and body size jointly set lower thermal limits of wandering spiders

Most species encounter large variations in abiotic conditions along their distribution range. The physiological responses of most terrestrial ectotherms (such as insects and spiders) to clinal gradients of climate, and in particular gradients of temperature, can be the product of both phenotypic plasticity and local adaptation. This study aimed to determine how the biogeographic position of populations and the body size of individuals set the limits of cold (freezing) resistance of Dolomedes fimbriatus. We compared D. fimbriatus to its sister species Dolomedes plantarius under harsher climatic conditions in their distribution range. Using an ad hoc design, we sampled individuals from four populations of Dolomedes fimbriatus originating from contrasting climatic areas (temperate and continental climate) and one population of the sister species D. plantarius from continental climate, and compared their supercooling ability as an indicator of cold resistance. Results for D. fimbriatus indicated that spiders from northern (continental) populations had higher cold resistance than spiders from southern (temperate) populations. Larger spiders had a lower supercooling ability in northern populations. The red‐listed and rarest D. plantarius was slightly less cold tolerant than the more common D. fimbriatus, and this might be of importance in a context of climate change that could imply colder overwintering habitats in the north due to reduced snow cover protection. The lowest cold resistance might put D. plantarius at risk of extinction in the future, and this should be considered in conservation plan.     

不同植物种类及棉花品种对扶桑绵粉蚧生物学影响研究进展

扶桑绵粉蚧Phenacoccus solenopsis是一种多食性入侵害虫,其寄主范围广、适应性强,已入侵多个国家和地区,对农业生产造成了严重危害。本文通过分析不同寄主植物上扶桑绵粉蚧研究,找出相对适宜与不适宜寄主植物,以便指导作物种植,并为培育抗扶桑绵粉蚧作物提供一定参考。本文通过收集分析相关文献,运用数理统计方法,综述和分析了不同寄主植物上扶桑绵粉蚧生长发育、生殖、抗逆等方面研究进展及其差异。发现马铃薯、豚草是极有利于扶桑绵粉蚧繁衍的植物,其次是扶桑与棉花。对10个品种棉花的分析发现,中棉所59对扶桑绵粉蚧具有较强的抗性,而抗虫棉RCH-134不具有抗性。对扶桑绵粉蚧生物学尤其是生长发育、繁殖能力等研究已经比较多,今后与该虫相关的抗虫育种、生物防治、分子生物学等研究可望成为重点。     

转Bt棉花对蜘蛛生长发育及捕食行为的影响

室内评价了取食转Bt棉叶的棉铃虫幼虫对草间钻头蛛和八斑鞘腹蛛生长发育的影响.并通过捕食功能反应评价了取食了Bt棉叶的棉铃虫幼虫对成熟草间钻头蛛捕食行为的影响.室内饲养实验结果表明草间钻头蛛、八斑鞘腹蛛取食用转Bt棉叶处理的棉铃虫幼虫与取食普通棉叶处理的棉铃虫幼虫的发育历期、成蛛体重都没有显著差异.捕食功能反应实验结果表明草间钻头蛛对棉铃虫幼虫的捕食功能反应符合HollingⅡ型圆盘方程,两组不同猎物饲养成熟的草间钻头蛛对同种处理的棉铃虫幼虫的捕食行为没有显著差异.综合考虑：转Bt棉对蜘蛛生长发育、捕食能力没有显著的负作用.     

Nectar feeding and body size in the ant Camponotus mus

Summary: Feeding behavior and worker polymorphism were studied in the ant Camponotus mus. Individual workers were conditioned to visit an arena in which an ad libitum food source of 60% (w/w) sucrose solution was offered. Individual feeding time, crop load, and intake rate were recorded. Worker head width and pronotum width were measured. Behavioral and morphometric variables were analyzed in relation to ant weight. C. mus workers of the laboratory nest have an elemental polymorphism with monophasic allometric growth. Worker size affected feeding dynamics. Load weight and intake rate were positively correlated with ant weight, whereas feeding time was independent of ant weight. Size related differences in intake rate could not be attributed to differences in pumping frequency, and could be attributed to differences in the volume ingested per pumping cycle.     

Distinct feeding strategies of generalist and specialist spiders

1. Feeding behaviour of generalist and specialist predators is determined by a variety of trophic adaptations. Specialised prey‐capture adaptations allow specialists to catch relatively large prey on a regular basis. As a result, specialists might be adapted to exploit each item of prey more thoroughly than do generalists. 2. It was expected that obligatory specialist cursorial spiders would feed less frequently than generalists but for a longer time and, thus, that their foraging pause would be longer. First, the feeding frequencies of three generalist spider species (Cybaeodamus taim, Harpactea hombergi, Hersiliola sternbergsi) were compared with those three phylogenetically related specialist species: myrmecophagous Zodarion rubidum, and araneophagous Nops aff. variabilis and Palpimanus orientalis. 3. Generalists captured more prey, exploited each item of prey for a significantly shorter time, and had a shorter foraging pause than was the case for specialists. Generalists also gained significantly less relative amount of prey mass than did specialists. 4. Second, the study compared the prey DNA degradation rate in the gut of generalists and specialists by means of PCR. The degradation rate was not significantly different between specialists and generalists: the detectability half‐life was estimated to exist for 14.3 days after feeding. 5. This study shows that the feeding strategies of cursorial generalist and obligatory specialist spiders are different. Obligatory specialists have evolved a feeding strategy that is based on thorough exploitation of a few large prey, whereas generalists have evolved a strategy that is based on short exploitation of multiple small items of prey.     

取食不同寄主植物对棉蚜后代抗药性的影响

测定了5种药剂对棉蚜Aphis gossypii抗氰戊菊酯、吡虫啉品系和敏感品系取食棉花、黄瓜和石榴的后代的毒力,并对它们的后代体内乙酰胆碱酯酶和羧酸酯酶的比活力做了初步探索。结果表明,氰戊菊酯抗性品系取食棉花比取食黄瓜的后代对氰戊菊酯的抗性大76.4倍,对灭多威、氧乐果、硫丹和吡虫啉的抗性也大0.5～4.6倍;取食石榴的后代对5种药剂的抗性介于取食棉花和黄瓜的之间。吡虫啉抗性品系的测定结果与氰戊菊酯抗性品系基本一致。敏感品系取食黄瓜比取食棉花的后代对5种药剂的敏感性更高。3个品系取食不同植物的后代相比,其体内乙酰胆碱酯酶的比活力,取食棉花的为取食黄瓜的2.4～2.8倍;羧酸酯酶的比活力,取食棉花的为取食黄瓜的1.8～2.4倍。证明棉蚜的抗性和敏感品系取食的寄主植物不同,可引起对药剂敏感性的变化。乙酰胆碱酯酶和羧酸酯酶活力的变化均是引起这种变化的重要因素。     

Evidence for competition between carnivorous plants and spiders

Several studies have demonstrated that competition between disparate taxa can be important in determining community structure, yet surprisingly, to our knowledge, no quantitative studies have been conducted on competition between carnivorous plants and animals. To examine potential competition between these taxa, we studied dietary and microhabitat overlap between pink sundews (Drosera capillaris) and wolf spiders (Lycosidae) in the field, and conducted a laboratory experiment examining the effects of wolf spiders on sundew fitness. In the field, we found that sundews and spiders had a high dietary overlap with each other and with the available arthropod prey. Associations between sundews and spiders depended on spatial scale: both sundews and spiders were found more frequently in quadrats with more abundant prey, but within quadrats, spiders constructed larger webs and located them further away from sundews as the total sundew trapping area increased, presumably to reduce competition. Spiders also constructed larger webs when fewer prey were available. In the laboratory, our experiment revealed that spiders can significantly reduce sundew fitness. Our findings suggest that members of the plant and animal kingdoms can and do compete.     

Consumptive and non‐consumptive effects of wolf spiders on cotton bollworms

Larvae of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) that survive on genetically modified Bt cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., Malvaceae) contribute to the risk of widespread resistance to Bt toxins. Current resistance management techniques include pupae busting, which involves deep tilling of the soil to kill overwintering pupae. Unfortunately, pupae busting runs counter to soil and water conserving techniques, such as minimum tillage. This problem could be relieved with biological control methods, whereby predators attack either larvae going to ground to pupate or moths emerging from the ground. We found that the wolf spider Tasmanicosa leuckartii (Thorell) (Araneae: Lycosidae), a common inhabitant of Australian cotton agroecosystems, is an effective predator of H. armigera, attacking and killing most larvae (66%) and emerging moths (77%) in simple laboratory arenas. Tasmanicosa leuckartii also reduced the number of emerging moths by 66% on average in more structurally complex glasshouse arenas. Males, females, and late‐instar juveniles of T. leuckartii were similarly effective. Tasmanicosa leuckartii also imposed non‐consumptive effects on H. armigera, as when a spider was present larvae in the laboratory areas spent less time on the cotton boll and more time on the soil and more mass was lost from the cotton boll. Increased loss of boll mass likely reflects changes in H. armigera foraging behavior induced by the presence of spiders (indirect non‐consumptive effects). Helicoverpa armigera spent more time as pupae when the spider was present in simple laboratory arenas, but not in more complex glasshouse enclosures. Overall, results indicate that T. leuckartii spiders can be effective predators of H. armigera late instars and moths but also suggest that, under some conditions, the presence of spiders could increase the damage to individual cotton bolls.     

陷阱法调查棉田蜘蛛的分布动态

采用陷阱法系统调查棉田各发育期的蜘蛛群落分布型,运用5种聚集度指标、Taylor的幂法则以及m*--x的回归关系综合分析。结果显示:(1)陷阱法所采集的蜘蛛绝大多数为游猎型蜘蛛。(2)棉田游猎性蜘蛛群落在整个棉花发育期都呈随机分布。     

转Bt基因棉田蜘蛛的时空动态及控害作用

1998-1999年在河北棉区系统调查转Bt基因棉棉田中的蜘蛛发生时空的研究结果表明,在转Bt基因棉田中,全年百株累计数量为3984头,占棉田总捕食性天敌数量的49.7%。其中优势蜘蛛温室希蛛,狼蛛和草间小黑蛛分别占53.6%,16.7%和18.6%。季节动态表现为棉田前期少,中,后期多,最高可达百株454头;棉株下部和地面的蜘蛛增加快,而上,中部蜘蛛增加慢,空间分布表现为下部和地面占优势,丰富度分别为0.464和0.303,而上部蜘蛛的丰富度仅为0.067。地面蜘蛛中以狼蛛和草间小黑蛛占优势,分别占52.6%和40.6%。基于蜘蛛的数量,时空动态及与棉铃虫的配合程度认为,对棉铃虫起主要控制作用的为草间小黑蛛,温室希蛛和卷叶蛛,分别占蜘蛛总控制指数的41.3%,25.2%和10.9%。其中2代棉铃虫发生期,草间小黑蛛贡献最大。占67.7%。3代棉铃虫发生期,温室希蛛和草间小黑蛛分别占29.0%和25.4%的贡献率,4代棉铃虫发生期温室希蛛起主要作用。占45.3%的贡献率。     

Nectar feeding by mosquitoes in Sweden, with special reference to Culex pipiens and Cx torrentium

1. Nectar feeding by mosquitoes collected from tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) flowers was studied in July and August 1983-85 at two sites in central and south-western Sweden. Prior to fructose analysis, gonotrophic state and parity was determined. 2. A total of 1010 mosquitoes (70% males) of eighteen species was collected. Fructose was detected in 75% of the males and 78% of the females. Most (86%) mosquitoes collected belonged to Culex pipiens and Cx torrentium. 3. Among 219 Cx pipiens females, for most of which the abdomen appeared gravid (52%) or empty (42%), 81% were fructose-positive. Females of other species were also proved to have fed on plant sugars in both early and later stages of the gonotrophic cycle. 4. In Cx pipiens and males of Cx torrentium peak nectar feeding occurred between 22.00 and 04.00 hours. Data for males of both species suggested a V-shaped pattern of nectar feeding activity during the night. 5. At about 16 degrees C nearly all mosquitoes became fructose-negative in the anthrone test within 20 h after collection from tansy flowers. 6. At least 44% of Cx pipiens females that were attracted to a dove-baited trap had fed on plant sugars shortly before.     

Nectar quality affects ant aggressiveness and biotic defense provided to plants

Ant–plant mutualisms are useful models for investigating how plant traits mediate interspecific interactions. As plant‐derived resources are essential components of ant diets, plants that offer more nutritious food to ants should be better defended in return, as a result of more aggressive behavior toward natural enemies. We tested this hypothesis in a field experiment by adding artificial nectaries to individuals of the species Vochysia elliptica (Vochysiaceae). Ants were offered one of four liquid foods of different nutritional quality: amino acids, sugar, sugar + amino acids, and water (control). We used live termites (Nasutitermes coxipoensis) as herbivore competitors and observed ant behavior toward them. In 88 hr of observations, we recorded 1,009 interactions with artificial nectaries involving 1,923 individual ants of 26 species. We recorded 381 encounters between ants and termites, of which 38% led to attack. Sixty‐one percent of these attacks led to termite exclusion from the plants. Recruitment and patrolling were highest when ants fed upon nectaries providing sugar + amino acids, the most nutritious food. This increase in recruitment and patrolling led to higher encounter rates between ants and termites, more frequent attacks, and faster and more complete termite removal. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that plant biotic defense is mediated by resource quality. We highlight the importance of qualitative differences in nectar composition for the outcome of ant–plant interactions. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.     

取食不同品种棉花的棉蚜对龟纹瓢虫功能反应的影响

本文以GK12、33B和SGK3213种转基因棉和对应的3种常规棉泗棉3号、33及石远321为材料,通过室内测定,研究了取食转基因棉的棉蚜却h／sgossypiiGlover对龟纹瓢虫Propylaea japonica Thunberg1—4龄幼虫功能反应的影响。结果指出,龟纹瓢虫对来自转基因棉田蚜虫的捕食量大多高于常规棉田,且捕食量随猎物密度的增加而增大。在1、2龄幼虫期,龟纹瓢虫取食转双价基因棉田蚜虫的数量多高于取食转单价基因棉田的蚜虫数量,但是在3、4龄幼虫时,龟纹瓢虫取食转双价棉田蚜虫的数量多低于取食转单价棉田的蚜虫数量。龟纹瓢虫对来自转基因棉田棉蚜的捕食功能反应符合HollingII型。龟纹瓢虫1龄幼虫取食GK12和SGK3212个转基因棉田蚜虫的最大日捕食量大于对照,处理时间短于对照;龟纹瓢虫P．japonica2、3龄幼虫取食33B和SGK3212个转基因棉田蚜虫A．gossypii的日最大捕食量大于对照,处理时间短于对照;4龄时取食转基因棉田蚜虫的数量都大于对照,处理时间均短于对照,其中取食转双价基因棉SGK321棉田蚜虫的日最大捕食量小于取食单伊棉田蚜虫的日最大捕食量。     

Silencing of aphid genes by dsRNA feeding from plants

Background

RNA interference (RNAi) is a valuable reverse genetics tool to study gene function in various organisms, including hemipteran insects such as aphids. Previous work has shown that RNAi-mediated knockdown of pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) genes can be achieved through direct injection of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) or small-interfering RNAs (siRNA) into the pea aphid hemolymph or by feeding these insects on artificial diets containing the small RNAs.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this study, we have developed the plant-mediated RNAi technology for aphids to allow for gene silencing in the aphid natural environment and minimize handling of these insects during experiments. The green peach aphid M. persicae was selected because it has a broad plant host range that includes the model plants Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana for which transgenic materials can relatively quickly be generated. We targeted M. persicae Rack1, which is predominantly expressed in the gut, and M. persicae C002 (MpC002), which is predominantly expressed in the salivary glands. The aphids were fed on N. benthamiana leaf disks transiently producing dsRNA corresponding to these genes and on A. thaliana plants stably producing the dsRNAs. MpC002 and Rack-1 expression were knocked down by up to 60% on transgenic N. benthamiana and A. thaliana. Moreover, silenced M. persicae produced less progeny consistent with these genes having essential functions.

Conclusions/Significance

Similar levels of gene silencing were achieved in our plant-mediated RNAi approach and published silencing methods for aphids. Furthermore, the N. benthamiana leaf disk assay can be developed into a screen to assess which genes are essential for aphid survival on plants. Our results also demonstrate the feasibility of the plant-mediated RNAi approach for aphid control.     

Effect of cotton aphids feeding on transgenic cotton varieties on the behavior of Propylaea japonica

本文以GK12、33B和SGK3213种转基因棉和对应的3种常规棉泗棉3号、33及石远321为材料,通过室内测定,研究了取食转基因棉的棉蚜Aphis gossypii Glover对龟纹瓢虫Propylaea japonica Thunberg1～4龄幼虫功能反应的影响.结果指出,龟纹瓢虫对来自转基因棉田蚜虫的捕食量大多高于常规棉田,且捕食量随猎物密度的增加而增大.在1、2龄幼虫期,龟纹瓢虫取食转双价基因棉田蚜虫的数量多高于取食转单价基因棉田的蚜虫数量,但是在3、4龄幼虫时,龟纹瓢虫取食转双价棉田蚜虫的数量多低于取食转单价棉田的蚜虫数量.龟纹瓢虫对来自转基因棉田棉蚜的捕食功能反应符合HollingⅡ型.龟纹瓢虫1龄幼虫取食GK12和SGK321 2个转基因棉田蚜虫的最大日捕食量大于对照,处理时间短于对照;龟纹瓢虫P.japonica 2、3龄幼虫取食33B和SGK321 2个转基因棉田蚜虫A.gossypii的日最大捕食量大于对照,处理时间短于对照;4龄时取食转基因棉田蚜虫的数量都大于对照,处理时间均短于对照,其中取食转双价基因棉SGK321棉田蚜虫的日最大捕食量小于取食单价棉田蚜虫的日最大捕食量.     

Nectar resource use by Colias butterflies

Summary Nectar foraging preferences of Colias butterflies in two different mountain ecosystems are examined with respect to plant distribution, nectar quantity, carbohydrate (and amino acid) content of nectar, and visual pattern of the plants utilized and avoided. Colias, and apparently numerous other small, ectothermic, low-energy-demand pollinators, patronize plants producing relatively dilute nectars containing a high proportion of monosaccharide sugars and significant amounts of polar, nitrogen-rich amino acids. These plants also converge on a common target flower pattern in ultraviolet and human-visible light. High-energy demand, endothermic pollinators, by contrast, appear to require higher concentration nectars and/or higher proportions of di- and oligosaccharide sugars. These results are discussed in the light of water balance and energy budget demands of different pollinator classes. Questions are also raised concerning behavioral aspects of pollinator search for resources and the pertinence of these data to the concept of floral mimicry.     

Volatiles released from cotton plants in response to<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Helicoverpa zea</Emphasis> feeding damage on cotton flower buds

Feeding of Helicoverpa zea larvae on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) flower buds (squares) for 24 or 48 h induced the release of a number of terpenes [(E)--ocimene, linalool, (E)--farnesene, (E,E)--farnesene, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E,E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene], isomeric hexenyl butyrates, 2-methylbutyrates, indole and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate. These compounds are not released in significant amounts from undamaged squares and freshly damaged squares. The release of inducible compounds was not limited to the damaged squares themselves. The compounds were also released systemically from the upper undamaged leaves of the same plant after 72 h. However, the composition of the blend of systemically released volatiles differed from the blend released by damaged squares. The compounds that were systemically released from undamaged leaves in response to feeding on the squares were (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, (E)--ocimene, linalool, (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E)--farnesene, (E,E)--farnesene, and indole. This study shows that insect damage inflicted to the reproductive parts of a plant causes a systemic emission of volatiles from its vegetative parts.