Greater impact of host plant species on oviposition of a willow leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) during the adult stage than in developing larval stage

Abstract

In some herbivorous insects, such as Coleoptera and aphids, not only the host species of larvae, but also those of adults should be considered as key determinants of potential fecundity because oviposition is affected by the quality of host species during both larval and adult stages. This study examined the relatively greater impact on host species of the larval or adult stage on oviposition of the willow leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). We conducted an experiment using a 2 9 2 experimental design, in which either of two different host plant species was fed in larval and adult stages. Females fed on a locally unavailable host Salix eriocarpa in the adult stage did not lay any eggs, but those fed on the locally available host S. babylonica laid 67-75 eggs on average, irrespective of larval host species. Such reproductively inactive females fed S. eriocarpa as an adult host recovered reproductive activity within 3 weeks after changing the host species to S. babylonica. This result indicated that the host species fed in the adult stage had a greater impact on oviposition than in the larval stage.

Plant Vigor Metrics Determine Spatio-Temporal Distribution Dynamics ofOulema melanopus(Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) and Its Larval Parasitoid,Tetrastichus julis(Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

“…Host plant nutrient availability is a major determinant of host selection and signiÞcantly inßuences Þtness and performance of phytophagous insects (Awmack and Leather 2002, Blake et al 2010, Ishihara and Suzue 2011. Selection of a suitable host for feeding and oviposition can inßuence the population dynamics of an alien invasive species and its natural enemy (Kim and Lee 2002).…”

Female Mating Frequency and Reproductive Fitness in the Willow Leaf Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

“…The willow leaf beetle Plagiodera versicolora Laicharting is widely distributed in Asia, Europe, and North Africa. It feeds on the leaves and shoots of willows and poplar species (Ishihara and Suzue 2011). The adults lay egg clutches on willow leaves and the number of eggs per clutch varies from 1 to 37 (average = 15) (Ishihara and Hayashi 2000).…”