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Squash beetle trenching behaviour: avoidance of cucurbitacin induction or mucilaginous plant sap?
Author(s) -
McCLOUD E. S.,
TALLAMY D. W.,
HALAWEISH F. T.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
ecological entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.865
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2311
pISSN - 0307-6946
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2311.1995.tb00428.x
Subject(s) - biology , squash , mucilage , botany
.1 Foraging patterns of the squash beetle, Epilachna borealis Fabricius (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in field cages are not consistent with the hypothesis that this beetle avoids leaves in which its feeding damage has caused the induction of cucurbitacins. 2 E.borealis feeding does not induce accumulation of cucurbitacins inside or outside of feeding trenches. 3 Cucurbitacins do not reduce the survival or growth rate of E. borealis larvae. 4 High concentrations of cucurbitacins fail to deter E.borealis feeding; rather, cucurbitacins are feeding stimulants for squash beetles. 5 Trenching behaviour in E.borealis is facultative and correlates with leaf turgor and the degree to which sticky phloem sap oozes from damaged leaves. 6 Mucilaginous phloem sap in many curcurbit species inhibits feeding by E.borealis when it is applied to beetle mouthparts.