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The effect of past natural enemy activity on host‐plant preference of two aphid species
Author(s) -
Wilson Michael R.,
Leather Simon R.
Publication year - 2012
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/j.1570-7458.2012.01282.x
Subject(s) - biology , aphid , host (biology) , aphididae , predation , harmonia axyridis , preference , food preference , zoology , ecology , botany , predator , homoptera , pest analysis , coccinellidae , food science , economics , microeconomics
The selection of a host of high nutritional quality is of great importance to the development of offspring of larvipositing aphids, as is the avoidance of natural enemies. Little is known, however, about their ability to select host plants based on these factors. This article tests the preference of aphids S itobion avenae ( F abricius) and R hopalosiphum padi ( L .) (both H emiptera: A phididae) for different winter wheat cultivars, T riticum aestivum ( L .) ( P oaceae), and their ability to detect and avoid predators in sacrifice of their most preferred host. In both species a preference was observed for nutritionally superior hosts. The preference of both species then exhibited a change towards a nutritionally inferior host after infestations of the harlequin ladybird, H armonia axyridis ( P allas) ( C oleoptera: C occinellidae), that had been consuming conspecific aphids. This investigation opens the door to the interesting prospect of the ability of aphids to make complex decisions regarding a compromise between high‐quality nutrition and avoidance of predation.