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Environmental factors affecting the behavior of C oenosia attenuata , a predator of T rialeurodes vaporariorum in tomato greenhouses
Author(s) -
Bonsignore Carmelo Peter
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1111/eea.12385
Subject(s) - biology , predation , predator , ecology , trialeurodes , greenhouse , biological pest control , greenhouse whitefly , zoology , botany , pest analysis , homoptera
Adults of the predatory fly C oenosia attenuata S tein ( D iptera: M uscidae) catch their prey while in flight. I investigated this activity over two seasons in a tomato greenhouse naturally infested with T rialeurodes vaporariorum ( W estwood) ( H emiptera: A leyrodidae). The flight of C . attenuata individuals was affected by environmental factors and was increased in response to increases in temperature, the number of prey flights, and conspecific density. Predator and prey flights were distributed throughout the day, but there was a regular daily trend, each with two partially overlapping activity peaks. The possibility of predation was limited by differences in daily flight‐activity times. Predatory flights comprised a small percentage (ca. 6%) of the total flights, with a predation success rate of 61%. Overall, the predatory activity of C . attenuata depended on the selection of hunting sites with good visibility to ensure a clear view before take‐off and allow the capture of prey in flight. Similar numbers of overall flights were made by both sexes, but C . attenuata females performed more predation flights and territorial defense activities than males. The ecological role of C . attenuata and its limited adaptability to greenhouses is discussed in light of its possible use in biological control of whiteflies.