Attraction of Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood)(Heteroptera: alydidae) to cow urine and ammonia

Abstract

The alydid bug parvus (Westwood) is not easily detected in the field and the discovery of attractants may be a suitable way to monitor this species. The attraction of N. parvus to traps (transparent, transparent green and yellow) baited with cow urine and ammonia was studied in two field trials. Traps were placed near a terrace with pigeon pea plants (Cajanus cajan L.). Tap water, NaCl 10% aqueous solution (w/v), cow urine, and ammonia (NH 4 OH 1% aqueous solution) were tested as attractants in yellow, transparent and transparent green traps. Green traps baited with cow urine caught more bugs than yellow and transparent traps (3.2 and 7.2 times more, respectively), and more bugs than traps of the same color with just water (no captures) or NH 4 OH solution (14.5 times more). Traps baited with ammonia caught more bugs than traps with water: 14.4, 4.7 and 6.7 times more than transparent green, yellow, and transparent traps, respectively, or NaCl solution: 3.9, 7.6 and 6.2 times, respectively. Both ammonia and cow urine are attractive to N. parvus and may be tested to monitor the bugs in the field. Key words: semiochemical, attractant, trap color Atração de Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood) (Heteroptera: alydidae) por urina de vaca e amônia RESUMO: O percevejo alidídeo Neomegalotomus parvus (Westwood) não é facilmente detectado no campo e a descoberta de atraentes pode ser uma forma adequada para monitorar a espécie. A atração de N. parvus a armadilhas (transparentes, verde transparente e amarela) iscadas com urina de vaca e amônia foi estudada em dois experimentos em campo. Armadilhas foram colocadas próximas a um terraço com plantas de feijão-guandu (Cajanus cajan L.). Água corrente, solução aquosa de NaCl 10% (p/v), urina de vaca e amônia (solução aquosa de NH 4 OH 1%) foram testadas como atraentes em armadilhas amarelas, transparentes e transparentes verdes foram utilizadas. Armadilhas verdes iscadas com urina capturaram mais insetos do que armadilhas amarelas e transparentes (3,2 e 7,2 vezes mais, respectivamente), e mais insetos do que armadilhas da mesma cor com apenas água (zero insetos) ou solução de NaCl (14,5 vezes mais). Armadilhas iscadas com amônia capturaram mais insetos do que armadilhas com água: 14,4; 4,7 e 6,7 vezes mais em verde transparente, amarela e transparente, respectivamente, ou solução de NaCl: 3,9; 7,6 e 6,2 vezes, respectivamente. Amônia ou urina de vaca são atrativas para N. parvus e podem ser testadas para monitorar o percevejo no campo. Palavras-chave: semioquímicos, atraente, cor de armadilha

Role of plant diversity on arthropod communities in a restored tallgrass prairie of the U.S. Midwest

“…However, a few taxa exhibited potential specificity to habitats in RP sites. Reflective of their preference for the nitrogen rich legumes (Ventura et al 2000; Silva et al 2010), Alydidae were found in the greatest abundance at RP sites where legumes were located. Herbivorous and detritivorous larvae of Chrysomelidae are often found encased in plant debris or fecal matter (Marshall et al 2008).…”

“…However, a few taxa exhibited potential Figure 4 Scatter plots of linear regression between pollinator abundance (mean density per plot) and plant species diversity (A) and C 3 grass cover (B), and herbivore (sap-suckers + grazers) abundance (mean density per plot) between plant species diversity (C) and C 3 grass cover (D) in the restored prairie (RP), old field (OF), and reed canary grass (RCG; Phalaris arundinacea) of Gabis Arboretum in Valparaiso, Indiana, U.S.A. specificity to habitats in RP sites. Reflective of their preference for the nitrogen rich legumes (Ventura et al 2000;Silva et al 2010), Alydidae were found in the greatest abundance at RP sites where legumes were located. Herbivorous and detritivorous larvae of Chrysomelidae are often found encased in plant debris or fecal matter (Marshall et al 2008).…”

Broad-Headed Bugs (Alydidae)

“…There are also several references to different species of alydines being attracted to and feeding on carrion, vertebrate fecal matter, and cow urine and ammonia (Schaefer 1980 ;Adler and Wheeler 1984 ;Ventura and Panizzi 2000 ;Silva et al 2010 ). These nitrogen-rich materials attract alydines, and it has been speculated that these bugs might require higher concentration of nitrogen than do other bugs, based on this behavior and their association with nitrogen-rich plants (i.e., legumes) .…”

Attractant Pheromone of the Neotropical SpeciesNeomegalotomus parvus(Westwood) (Heteroptera: Alydidae)

“…In addition, it is known from field observations that some bugs are attracted to cow urine [24], and traps baited with cow urine or NH 4 OH solutions captured N. parvus in the field [25]. Thus, traps are potentially useful for population monitoring of N. parvus, but the efficiency of trap-based monitoring could be greatly improved if more specific and powerful attractants were available.…”