Annals of the Entomological Society of America (2002) 95, 464-468

Alvin M. Simmons (2002)
Settling of crawlers of Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) on five vegetable hosts
Annals of the Entomological Society of America 95 (4), 464-468
Abstract: The nymphal stage of whitefly pests is important in terms of its relationship to pest management measures and virus epidemiology. Among the nymphal forms, the active first instar, i.e., crawler, is the only mobile form of immature whiteflies. A study was conducted to determine any influence of vegetable plant species and temperature on net distance moved (between the egg site and final resting site) by crawlers of the B-biotype sweetpotato whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius). Tests were conducted in the greenhouse and under controlled laboratory conditions on five vegetable hosts: cantaloupe, Cucumis melo L.; collard, Brassica oleracea ssp. acephala de Condolle; cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walpers; pepper, Capsicum annuum L.; and tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum Miller. The net distance moved was shortest on collard in which the crawler ceased traveling ~2 mm from where it hatched. The crawler ceased traveling ~ 10-15 mm from the site of hatching on the other vegetable host plants. Observations on collard in the laboratory indicate that the crawlers traveled 21 min during the first stadium. No effect of constant temperature over the temperature range of 16-34°C was detected on the net travel distance of the crawlers. These data suggest that among the plant species in this study, collard is highly attractive for feeding and/or it offers suitable feeding sites that are easy to locate by the crawler. The results of this study help define the behavior of crawlers on several host plants.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Full text of article
Database assignments for author(s): Alvin M. Simmons

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution
environment - cropping system/rotation

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1	Cabbage (Brassica oleracea)
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1	Cowpea and relatives (Vigna)
	Bemisia tabaci biotype MEAM1	Melon (Cucumis melo)