Oviposition preference of two hoverfly species in response to risk of intraguild predation

Abstract

Two experiments were performed in the laboratory to understand the relationships between oviposition preference and larval performance of the two predatory hoverfly species, Episyrphus balteatus de Geer and Metasyrphus corollae Fabricius. We first conducted laboratory experiments to understand the nature and relative strengths of intraguild predation between the larvae of three ladybird species, Harmonia axyridis Pallas, Propylea japonica Thunberg, and Scymnus posticalis Sicard, and two predatory hoverfly species. The interactions between larvae of the three ladybird and two hoverfly species differed depending on the species and developmental stages involved: the relationships between H. axyridis or S. posticalis and the two hoverfly larvae tended to be asymmetric with H. axyridis being a superior species and S. posticalis an inferior species, although the reverse was true for each of these two species when small larvae were paired with large larvae of the hoverflies. The ladybird, P. japonica, had both asymmetric and symmetric relationships depending on the hoverfly species with which it interacted. Secondly, we tested the preference and performance hypothesis for hoverflies, by determining whether hoverfly oviposition preference was related to the risk of intraguild predation posed by the presence of a ladybird larva in an aphid colony. Oviposition preference in relation to larval performance of the two hoverflies differed between the species: E. balteatus females tended to adjust their rate of eggs laying in response to the presence of ladybird larvae, while similar responses of M. corollae females were weak. The relationship between oviposition preference and larval performance in hoverflies is discussed.

Intraguild interactions between the predatory hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (Diptera: Syrphidae) and the Asian ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): Effect of larval tracks

“…This response is likely to be adaptive as laboratory studies have demonstrated that H. axyridis larvae will eat E. balteatus eggs (Alhmedi et al, unpubl. data) and syrphid larvae (Putra et al, 2009).…”

“…Most of these studies have focused on coccinellids and chrysopids, while studies on syrphids are very recent and scarce (e.g. Scholz & Poehling, 2000;Pineda et al, 2007;Almohamad et al, 2008;Putra et al, 2009).…”

Effect of size, extraguild prey and habitat complexity on intraguild interactions: a case study with the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis and the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus

“…However, little is known on the intraguild interactions between E. balteatus and H. axyridis. Putra et al (2009) and Alhmedi et al (2010) observed IGP by larvae of H. axyridis on those of E. balteatus, but the former study only used first and last instars of both predators, whereas the latter only performed experiments in the presence of extraguild prey.…”

Effects of intraguild predators on nest-site selection by prey

“…For example, do geckos respond to visual cues provided by sleeping skinks or eggs, or do chemosensory cues provided by feces, nests, or the lizards themselves provide enough information to warrant predator avoidance? Some invertebrates avoid nesting in areas containing predator chemosensory cues (e.g., Walzer et al 2006;Turner et al 2007;Putra et al 2009;Choh et al 2010), and geckos can use both visual and chemosensory cues to avoid predators (e.g., Webb et al 2009). These cues will be more common (and thus easier to detect) in areas with high lizard abundance (such as in the artificial wall), which could give the prey more opportunity to avoid predation.…”