A model for colour preference behaviour of spring migrant aphids

Abstract

Aphids are economically and ecologically important herbivorous insects. A critical step in their life cycle is the visually guided host finding behaviour. To elucidate the role of colour in host finding of aphid spring migrants we conducted large colour trap experiments in the field and analysed aphid catch data, using trap spectral reflectance data as input. Based on known and putative photoreceptor sensitivities we developed and optimized a simple empirical colour choice model for spring migrants of different aphid species which confirmed and explained the yellow preference of these insects. In a further step, we applied multivariate statistical methods to behavioural and reflectance data, but without data on photoreceptor sensitivities, to find the wavelengths of greatest importance for the aphids' behavioural responses. This analysis confirmed the position of the green photoreceptor peak previously obtained independently with electrophysiological methods. In a final step, we applied the colour preference model to a dataset of leaf spectra. This showed that aphid visual preference would be dependent on the plants’ nutritional status, with lower nitrogen input being associated with stronger preference, despite known benefits of high nitrogen levels for aphid reproduction and fitness. Ecological and evolutionary implications of these results are discussed. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Understanding colour vision: molecular, physiological, neuronal and behavioural studies in arthropods’.

Tracking the flight and landing behaviour of western flower thrips in response to single and two-colour cues

“…Yet, these effects most likely arise by different mechanisms, since (1) our colours were presented side-by-side (favouring spatial colour contrast effects rather than colour opponency effects) and (2) the effect found here is opposite to that of Stukenberg et al 5 in that yellow elicits a positive effect (and thus the green receptor is thought to provide a positive behavioural input) and blue has an inhibitory effect (with the blue receptor eliciting a negative behavioural response). An analogous mechanism to this has been described for migrating aphids and the pollen beetle ( Meligethes aeneus ) using behavioural data 37 – 40 . In contrast, similar to a phenomenon observed in whiteflies with green and UV-light mix 36 , a positive interaction was observed on UV(+ red) with yellow as adjacent colour.…”

The Hidden Secrets of Psylloidea: Biology, Behavior, Symbionts, and Ecology

“…There is extensive evidence of well-developed color vision in psyllids (35,36), as well as evidence that responsiveness to olfactory stimuli is weak in the absence of concurrent visual stimuli (102,143). These behavioral responses to color and olfactory stimuli are similar to those documented for aphids and whiteflies, both of which show evidence of having color vision and strong olfactory-based preferences only in the presence of color stimuli (32,128).…”

“…Aphids and whiteflies are attracted to targets with spectral reflectance in the green to yellow wavelength ranges (32,128). However, recent studies suggest that psyllids have distinct color preferences, responding to specific wavelengths associated with preferred host plants and even preferred feeding locations within hosts (e.g., young versus old leaves).…”

Optimising the colour of traps requires an insect's eye view

“…This approach might easily be applied to other pest insect species. Catches of aphids 24–26 and pollen beetles 27 at differently coloured water traps have been explained by the green/blue photoreceptor response ratio, again representing the neural computation thought to underlie behaviour. Although these models have not yet been used to engineer more effective traps, they explain the attractiveness of the yellow traps currently preferred for aphids and pollen beetles, and provide a rational basis upon which new traps could be selected or developed.…”