How omnivory affects the survival and choices of earwig Doru luteipes (Scudder) (Dermaptera: Forficulidae)?

Abstract

Doru luteipes (Scudder, 1876) is an omnivorous predator that finds different food resources in the corn plant: eggs of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797), uredospores of Puccinia polysora (Underw, 1897), and pollen. Knowing the survival and food preferences of this predator is essential to define its relevance as a biological control agent. We hypothesize that the foraging behavior and predatory capacity of D. luteipes may be affected when several food resources, especially eggs of S. frugiperda, uredospores of P. polysora, and pollen are concurrently in the same plant. The survival of D. luteipes in the nymph stage and their preference among food resources, often available in corn plants, were determined. To verify the survival of D. luteipes, newly hatched nymphs were fed exclusively with 1- uredospores of P. polysora, 2- eggs of S. frugiperda, 3- corn pollen, 4- a combination of uredospores + eggs, and 5- artificial diet (control). In another experiment, nymphs and adults of D. luteipes with 24 and 48 hours of fasting were individually released in the center of a container with four diets: 1- uredospores of P. polysora, 2- eggs of S. frugiperda, 3- corn pollen, 4- artificial diet, and maintained for 10 minutes, to evaluate the food choice and feeding time. The exclusive feeding with S. frugiperda eggs caused low nymph survival (8%), but the combination of P. polysora uredospores + S. frugiperda eggs allowed 58.3% survival. D. luteipes preferred feeding during the nighttime and the most significant proportions of choices by nymphs and adults were for pollen and diet, with adults spending more time eating pollen. These findings indicate that the trophic choices of D. luteipes are relevant to understand its contribution as an agent to control pest insects and fungal diseases in corn.

Weathering the hunt: The role of barometric pressure in predator insects' foraging behaviour

“…Spodotpera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a common prey for D. luteipes , C. externa and E. connexa (Pacheco et al, 2021; Silva et al, 2013; Tavares et al, 2011) (Figure 1). Adults were obtained from the Laboratory of Insect Biology, University of São Paulo, in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil, and kept in PVC containers (20 × 15 cm) lined with bond paper and sealed with a voile fabric lid.…”

Predation potential of the earwig Euborellia annulipes on fruit fly larvae and trophic interactions with the parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata

“…The rearing colony of E. annulipes was initiated with ≈70 individuals collected in fallen fruits infested with fruit fly larvae from Myrtaceae trees in a non‐commercial fruit orchard on the Experimental Campus of Lavras Federal University in the municipality of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil (44°58′56″ W and 21°13′50″ S; elevation 908 m). The rearing procedures were adapted from Pacheco et al (2021) and adults were occasionally supplemented with the aphid Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) from a rearing colony kept in the laboratory. Rearing of C. capitata and the parasitoid D. longicaudata followed the methods described by Fernandes et al (2019) and Alvarenga et al (2005 ), respectively.…”

<i>Euborellia annulipes</i> Mortality and Predation on <i>Diatraea saccharalis</i> Eggs after Application of Chemical and Biological Insecticides

“…Overall, earwigs are naturally omnivorous and some species mycophagous [45] [46], which may have favored attraction and consumption of prey treated with the M. anisopliae based bioinsecticide. In this sense, fungi represent a nutrient-rich diet with several good nutritional attributes for insects, contributing to their biological development [47] [48].…”