Prior host feeding experience influences ovipositional but not feeding preference in a polyphagous insect herbivore

Abstract

Black vine weevils, Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), are globally-distributed polyphagous pests of many horticultural crops. We investigated how adult weevils were affected by host switching and, in particular, how host plant species nutritional and defensive chemistry affected subsequent host plant species selection and oviposition. Adults were fed one of three host plant species, blackcurrant [Ribes nigrum L. (Grossulariaceae)], raspberry [Rubus idaeus L. (Rosaceae)], or strawberry [Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne (Rosaceae)], throughout their pre-reproductive periods and then subjected to behavioral choice assays with these plants. Foliar chemistry differed significantly among the three host plant species. Compared to raspberry and strawberry foliage, blackcurrant foliage was 13% lower in nitrogen, 3% higher in carbon, and 28% higher in phenolic compounds. Initial host plant species had a significant effect on weevil mortality, with more weevils dying when previously fed blackcurrant (12%) than strawberry (3%) or raspberry (0%) regardless of subsequent host. Initial host plant species also affected oviposition, with weevils laying only ca. two eggs per week when previously fed blackcurrant, compared to those on raspberry or strawberry (ca. 11 and 15 eggs per week, respectively). When given a choice, weevils discriminated among host plant species and tended to oviposit on plants on which they had previously fed, even when the plant was nutritionally inferior for egg production and adult survival. In contrast, feeding behavior was only affected by the current host plant species. Feeding and oviposition were related to leaf chemistry only in blackcurrant, as leaf consumption was negatively correlated with foliar carbon and zinc concentrations, and positively correlated with foliar phosphorus and potassium concentrations.

Early-Season Host Switching in Adelphocoris spp. (Hemiptera: Miridae) of Differing Host Breadth

“…Depending upon individual host breadth and other ecological particularities, herbivorous insects transfer between host plant species to differing extents to locate suitable host foods for their offspring and themselves [2], [3], [4], [5]. For generalist herbivores, a mixing of diets can produce substantial benefits, and a selective intake of food items or host plant species can redress or prevent nutritional imbalances [6], [7].…”

Oviposition site preference and developmental performance of a gall‐inducing leafhopper on galled and non‐galled host plants

“…Similar to Hopkins' host selection principle, a more general hypothesis, 'natal habitat preference induction' (NHPI) was proposed to explain that experience with particular stimuli during the larval or early adult stages increases preference for the same stimuli, because of the difficulty in distinguishing experiences during these stages (Davis & Stamps, 2004). Recent studies have supported NHPI in several holometabolous insects, such as Lepidoptera (Anderson et al, 1995(Anderson et al, , 2013Akhtar & Isman, 2003;Chow et al, 2005;Hora et al, 2005;Olsson et al, 2006;Moreau et al, 2008), Coleoptera (Rietdorf & Steidle, 2002;Coyle et al, 2011), Diptera (Facknath & Wright, 2007), and Hymenoptera (Li et al, 2009). Recent studies have supported NHPI in several holometabolous insects, such as Lepidoptera (Anderson et al, 1995(Anderson et al, , 2013Akhtar & Isman, 2003;Chow et al, 2005;Hora et al, 2005;Olsson et al, 2006;Moreau et al, 2008), Coleoptera (Rietdorf & Steidle, 2002;Coyle et al, 2011), Diptera (Facknath & Wright, 2007), and Hymenoptera (Li et al, 2009).…”

“…The NHPI hypothesis predicts that females prefer to deposit their eggs on the same host species on which they developed as larvae. Recent studies have supported NHPI in several holometabolous insects, such as Lepidoptera (Anderson et al, 1995(Anderson et al, , 2013Akhtar & Isman, 2003;Chow et al, 2005;Hora et al, 2005;Olsson et al, 2006;Moreau et al, 2008), Coleoptera (Rietdorf & Steidle, 2002;Coyle et al, 2011), Diptera (Facknath & Wright, 2007), and Hymenoptera (Li et al, 2009). Although the relationship between oviposition preference and offspring performance can vary under different ecological and phylogenetic conditions (Thompson, 1988), few studies have investigated the simultaneous effects of several factors on the preference-performance link (Craig et al, 2000;Balagawi et al, 2013).…”

Preconditioning of the generalist herbivore Trialeurodes vaporariorum to greenhouse monocultures and its subsequent performance on wild polycultures

“…Preconditioning or long‐term experience of a host might in some cases lead to changes of host preference that can be either cumulative or reversible (Papaj & Prokopy, ), whereas in other cases preconditioning has no effect on insect performance (Lee et al., ). Preconditioning may cause differences in insect performance in terms of fecundity, survival, and development time on experienced compared to novel hosts (Thomas, ; Coyle et al., ). Ultimately, on an evolutionary time scale, such differences could lead to speciation through host races (Drès & Mallet, ).…”