Bulletin of Insectology (2019) 72, 161-168
Mehdi Toosi, Arash Rasekh and Naoya Osawa (2019)
Effects of intraguild predation on the life history traits and progeny of the ladybird beetle Hippodamia variegata
Bulletin of Insectology 72 (2), 161-168
Abstract: The simultaneous use of multiple biological control agents requires sufficient information of intraguild predation (IGP). In this work, the prey preferences of immature stages of the ladybird beetle Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera Coccinellidae) for non-parasitized and parasitized adults of Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera Aphididae) by the parasitoid wasp Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Hymenoptera Braconidae) were investigated at the laboratory choice experiments. Moreover, the effects of these different feeding regimes of the immature stages were determined for the life history traits of emerging H. variegata and its progeny. Results revealed that the second and third instar larvae of H. variegata revealed no preference for the non-parasitized and parasitized aphids. The immature developmental time of H. variegata fed on the parasitized aphids was significantly shorter than those fed on the non-parasitized aphids; however, the weight of the emerged adults did not differ significantly. Contrary to this, in the next generation, the egg and hatched larval size of H. variegata fed on the parasitized aphids were significantly larger than those fed on the non-parasitized aphids, whereas the mean and total number of eggs laid by H. variegata fed on the parasitized aphids was significantly smaller than for those fed on the non-parasitized aphids. The feeding regimes at maternal rearing conditions revealed a significant effect on the progeny, as the weight of the emerging male and female adults increased. Combined with the simultaneous application of the two biological control agents, the negative effects resulting from feeding on the IG prey, L. fabarum, may be compensated by the fitness gained by the IG predator, H. variegata, and its progeny. Hence, the asymmetric IGP may not have a negative impact on the biological control of A. gossypii.
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Database assignments for author(s): Arash Rasekh
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
environment/habitat manipulation
Pest and/or beneficial records:
| Beneficial | Pest/Disease/Weed | Crop/Product | Country | Quarant.
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aphis gossypii | Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) | Iran | ||
| Hippodamia variegata (predator) | Aphis gossypii | Iran | ||
| Lysiphlebus fabarum (parasitoid) | Aphis gossypii | Iran |
