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Squash Beetle Feeding Behavior: An Adaptation against Induced Cucurbit Defenses
Author(s) -
Tallamy Douglas W.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1938019
Subject(s) - palatability , herbivore , biology , facultative , adaptation (eye) , chemical defense , host (biology) , feeding behavior , squash , food preference , chemical ecology , ecology , botany , zoology , food science , neuroscience
This study tests the hypothesis that feeding behavior in the herbivorous coccinellid Epilachna borealis is an effective adaptation for avoiding facultative chemical defenses in its cucurbit host plants. Chemical analyses, feeding preference tests, fitness evaluations, and cucumber beetle assays for cucurbitacins show that (1) beetle feeding damage to zucchini leaves triggers chemical change in damaged leaves and leaves adjacent to damaged leaves; (2) this change in leaf chemistry is sufficiently potent for beetles to detect and avoid; (3) induced changes in leaf chemistry negatively affect E. borealis fitness; (4) E. borealis trenching behavior blocks, at least temporarily, the translocation of cucurbitacin defenses to feeding sites, thus preserving the palatability and quality of food resources for beetles.