Flexible use of patch marks in an insect predator: effect of sex, hunger state, and patch quality

Abstract

Abstract. 1. Patch marks that allow the subsequent avoidance of marked areas may be used by small animals to increase foraging efficiency. This study is the first to demonstrate the presence of a patch-marking system in insect predators. Furthermore, the marking system is found only in females, and factors such as hunger state and patch quality play a key role in determining whether a female will re-investigate a self-marked patch.2. Females of the insect predator Orius sauteri avoided areas where the female itself had searched previously but did not avoid areas searched by conspecific females when deprived of prey for 24 h. There was no evidence that males use such a patch-marking system, indicating the presence of a sex difference in patch-mark use.3. Females did not discriminate between patches visited previously and patches not visited when they were either well fed or when patches contained abundant prey.4. The patch mark used by females was effective for 1 h and may be a reliable indicator of a recently visited area in which prey have been depleted.5. These results suggest that O. sauteri females have the flexibility to adjust their behavioural responses to a previously searched area depending on their hunger state and the availability of prey in their foraging environment.

New parasitoid-predator associations: female parasitoids do not avoid competition with generalist predators when sharing invasive prey

“…For treatment 3, one M. pygmaeus malefemale pair was added in the arena prior to the experiment for 24 h and removed just before the host larvae were established (i.e., 1 h before the parasitoid introduction). Despite the fact that M. pygmaeus semiochemicals were not specifically studied, this treatment is warranted because it is known that (i) the presence of this predator can impact parasitoid behavior (Martinou et al 2010), (ii) hemipteran predators can leave patch marking (however such marking seems to persist for only around an hour, Nakashima et al 2002) and sex and trail pheromones (Aldrich 1988;Nakashima and Hirose 1999;Aldrich et al 2007), and (iii) some predatory arthropods leave semiochemicals that persist for 10 days on plant leaves (Hemptinne et al 2001). Forty-eight hours after natural enemy introduction, mines were opened under a binocular microscope to record the number of parasitoid offspring and of T. absoluta living larvae.…”

Olfactory eavesdropping between two competing stingless bee species

“…Exploitation of heterospecific food location cues has also received some attention, primarily with social insects. Experiments suggest that subordinate species can avoid competitors (e.g., Pimm et al 1985 ; Fletcher 2008 ; Evans et al 2009 ; Slaa and Hughes 2009 ) or depleted resources (e.g., Nakashima et al 2002 ; Yokoi et al 2007 ) by using heterospecific visitation signals and cues. This latter phenomenon may be quite sophisticated; bumble bees can learn to be attracted or repelled by social information depending on their past experience with the food source, use it to determine when flowers replenish their nectar, and increase rejection of visited flowers when the visitor was an aggressive species.…”

Locomotory behaviour of the seven‐spotted ladybird, Coccinella septempunctata, in response to five commonly used insecticides

“…1B) suggests that reduced locomotion is unlikely to be attributable to hunger, as previous work on ladybirds has shown that starvation leads either to increased or maintained walking speeds (Carter & Dixon, 1982;Biesinger & Haefner, 2005). Gravid C. septempunctata females are known to avoid depositing eggs where conspecific footprint chemicals are present (Oliver et al, 2006) and larvae avoid conspecific chemical secretions when foraging to increase search efficiency (Marks, 1977;Nakashima et al, (F 4,199 = 6.5, P < 0.001); (C) mean distance walked during activity periods (F 4,199 = 12.8, P < 0.001); (D) number activity periods (F 4,199 = 12.6, P < 0.001); (E) total duration of activity (F 4,199 = 12.6, P < 0.001); (F) total distances walked (F 4,199 = 11.0, P < 0.001) and (G) number of turns (F 4,199 = 5.7, P < 0.001). (H) Survival after 24 h (F 4,199 = 7.8, P < 0.001).…”

“…1 and Table 3). Gravid C. septempunctata females are known to avoid depositing eggs where conspecific footprint chemicals are present (Oliver et al, 2006) and larvae avoid conspecific chemical secretions when foraging to increase search efficiency (Marks, 1977;Nakashima et al, (F 4,199 = 10.8, P < 0.001); (B) mean walking speed (F 4,199 = 6.5, P < 0.001); (C) mean distance walked during activity periods (F 4,199 = 12.8, P < 0.001); (D) number activity periods (F 4,199 = 12.6, P < 0.001); (E) total duration of activity (F 4,199 = 12.6, P < 0.001); (F) total distances walked (F 4,199 = 11.0, P < 0.001) and (G) number of turns (F 4,199 = 5.7, P < 0.001). The decrease in mean walking speed seen in the control group over time (Fig.…”