Effect of Soil Moisture on Oviposition by Childers Canegrub, Antitrogus parvulus Britton (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

Ovipositing Childers beetles, Antitrogus parvulus Britton, exhibit preference for soils of certain moisture levels. In a choice trial, A. parvulus laid most eggs in soil at approximately—74 kPa (near field capacity), no or very few eggs in soil near wilting point or drier, and few eggs in soil above field capacity (approximately -5.7 kPa). Under no-choice conditions most females retained their eggs if soil was near wilting point, oviposited immediately in soil near field capacity, and tended to extend egg-laying in soil above field capacity. Females in very wet soil laid many eggs when soil was changed to near field capacity within 3 d. After 3 d there was very little egglaying response to a change to soil near field capacity.