Nerium oleander as an alternative host plant for south Florida milkweed bugs, Oncopeltus fasciatus |
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Authors: | EDWARD KLAUSNER ELIZABETH RUTH MILLER HUGH DINGLE |
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Affiliation: | Program in Evolutionary Ecology and Behavior, Department of Zoology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa |
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Abstract: | Abstract. - 1 Life history data were gathered for south Florida Oncopeltus fasciatus reared from eggs on Nerium oleander seeds and milkweed seeds in the laboratory.
- 2 Milkweed seeds were found to be a superior food source since O.fasciatus grew faster, laid more clutches, and has a higher total fecundity on milkweed seeds.
- 3 Fruiting N.oleander was found to be a better food source than nonfruiting milkweeds in a summer field study in south Florida since no nymphs survived to the adult stage on nonfruiting milkweeds but some did on N.oleander.
- 4 O.fasciatus adults and nymphs are abundant on N.oleander in the summer in south Florida when N.oleander is fruiting; no O.fasciatus nymphs are found in the summer on the milkweeds which are not fruiting.
- 5 O.fasciatus leave N.oleander in the autumn when milkweeds start to fruit and can then be found on fruiting milkweeds.
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