Environmental Entomology (1990) 19, 978-986

Joon-Ho Lee, Seth J. Johnson and Vernon L. Wright (1990)
Quantitative survivorship analysis of the velvethean caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) pupae in soybean fields in Louisiana
Environmental Entomology 19 (4), 978-986
Abstract: Seven species of insects including ground beetles, tiger beetles, earwigs, and the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, were identified in laboratory feeding trials as pupal predators of velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner. The survivorship and predation of velvetbean caterpillar pupae were studied in soybean fields in Louisiana. Two descriptive categories of predatory feeding action were identified, "partial" and "complete." Predation was the principal mortality factor, accounting for 52.5 to 95.2% mortality in plots with fire ants. The red imported fire ant was a primary predator, accounting for 77.5 to 96.5% of total predator mortality for pupae under the soil surface in plots with fire ants. Our studies also indicated that the red imported fire ant seemed to reduce other ground-dwelling pupal predators of velvetbean caterpillar.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Joon-Ho Lee, Seth J. Johnson

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anticarsia gemmatalis	Soybean (Glycine max)	U.S.A. (mid S)
Solenopsis invicta (predator)	Anticarsia gemmatalis	Soybean (Glycine max)	U.S.A. (mid S)