Do Interactions among Ladybeetles Affect their Fitness and Predatory Behavior?

Are the ladybugs Cryptolaemus montrouzieri and Exochomus quadripustulatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) candidate predators of Toumeyella parvicornis (Hemiptera: Coccidae)?

“…Notably, when three predators were allowed to move freely in the arena, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri was found mostly alone and away from its conspecific. This evidence may point to a low tendency of aggregation with individuals of the same species, even while other experiments (e.g., Ferreira et al 39 …”

“…Notably, when three predators were allowed to move freely in the arena, Cryptolaemus montrouzieri was found mostly alone and away from its conspecific. This evidence may point to a low tendency of aggregation with individuals of the same species, even while other experiments (e.g., Ferreira et al 39 ) showed that Cryptolaemus montrouzieri may increase its predation rate if in the presence of conspecific or heterospecific individuals. To the best of our knowledge, there is no information in the current literature describing the interaction of Exochomus quadripustulatus with its similar, nor is there evidence of limitations by the presence of heterospecific predators in the same area of feeding.…”

“…38 Accordingly, to answer the question it is necessary to collect information about the effect of the combination, both on the predatory and the reproductive performance of the predators. 39 During 2022 and 2023, we carried out parallel experiments under laboratory and semi-field conditions designed to test: (i) the predation rate of the ladybugs towards different nymphal stage densities of the prey, (ii) the effect of the presence of heterospecific and conspecific predators on the attractiveness to the prey colonies, through a double-choice test, and (iii) the impact of the predators on T. parvicornis populations, through semi-field trials.…”

“…The current literature reports that the predators may be attracted by the alarm pheromones released by the prey, 37 and that competition between two predators feeding on the same prey does not always produce a negative effect 38 . Accordingly, to answer the question it is necessary to collect information about the effect of the combination, both on the predatory and the reproductive performance of the predators 39 …”