Oviposition preference of Lygocoris pabulinus (Het., Miridae) in relation to plants and conspecifics

Abstract

To predict possible locations of Lygocoris pabulinus (L) in the field during the summer, we determined their oviposition preference under summer conditions. With L. pabulinus reared on potato, oviposition preference was determined for potato, tomato or green bean. As preference may depend on larval or early adult experience, the oviposition preference of bugs reared on green bean for three generations, and of bugs captured from the field 12 h prior to the experiment was also determined. All females showed a strong preference for potato plants, on which fecundity was higher. Hence, although L. pabulinus is a generalist in its feeding habits, the summer generation seems to be an oviposition specialist. Aggregation of ovipositing females does not seem to occur; similar amounts of eggs were oviposited in plants with clip cages containing conspecifics as in plants without conspecifics. More eggs were oviposited in damaged plants than in undamaged plants. Plant volatiles released upon damage may aid L. pabulinus females in finding suitable oviposition sites.

Attractants for Rice Leaf Bug, Trigonotylus caelestialium (Kirkaldy), are Emitted from Flowering Rice Panicles

“…Many phytophagous insects, including mirid bugs, use host plant odors as olfactory cues to find hosts (Visser, 1986;Groot et al, 2003;Blackmer et al, 2004;Hori, 1999;Hori et al, 2006). In previous studies, we investigated the behavioral responses of rice leaf bugs to rice plant odors with a linear track olfactometer.…”

Insecticide-Induced Change in Egg-Laying Strategy of Helopeltis theivora (Hemiptera: Miridae) on Tea Shoot (Camellia sinensis)

“…The range of insecticide deposition in the upper tier is estimated 75-95% of the spray fluid, mid tier only 50-70% and the low tier 20-50% of the droplets (Borthakur and Baruah 1983). That oviposition preference can be induced by previous experience of females, has been demonstrated in some insect species (Vet and Papaj 1992;Turlings et al 1990Turlings et al , 1993Groot et al 2003).…”

Selection of Macrolophus melanotoma between its main non-crop host plant (Dittrichia viscosa) and eggplant, pepper and tomato, in choice experiments

“…Likely, the volatiles or other identities of the glandular trichomes are quite different between the two plants as they belong to different families. The glandular hairs of tomato plants were thought to interfere with the low preference of another mirid Lygocoris pabulinus (L.) for tomato in comparison to green beans, despite the fact that this mirid originated from S. nigrum, a plant of the same family with tomato (Groot et al 2003).…”