Light dependency of life trails, reproduction, locomotion, and predation in the polyphagous ladybird Hippodamia variegata

Abstract

Light is regarded a key environmental cue influencing biological, physiological, and behavioral characteristics in insects. We compared the development, reproduction, locomotion, and predation ability of the predatory ladybird Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) under various photoperiods, light intensities, and light wavelengths. The results indicated long daylight, high light intensity, and particular colors light (blue, green, and yellow) could benefit H. variegata especially in shortening the period of immature development, increasing mating frequency (shorter mating and pre-oviposition periods), higher fecundity, and a higher proportion of eggs hatched. Average locomotion speed and prey consumption rate of H. variegata increased with prolonged day length and increased light intensity. However, very high intensity of light could inhibit predation rates. Furthermore, green and yellow wavelength conditions increased locomotion speed of H. variegata, and the number of prey consumed increased with increased wavelength. The present study not only revealed significant influences of light conditions on the development and fertility of H. variegata, it also provided sufficient empirical data to improve the efficiency of mass rearing and field releases of this predatory ladybird by regulation of light conditions during biological control applications.

Molecular mechanisms for selective action of afidopyropen to Myzus persicae and Coccinella septempunctata

“…The insects were reared on the pea aphid, Aphis craccivora Koch in the growth chamber at 25 ± 2 °C, 65% RH, under a 12 h: 12 h (Light: Dark) photoperiod. The ladybird beetles were fed daily on pea aphids 21 …”

Factors Influencing the Efficacy of Biological Control Agents Used to Manage Insect Pests in Indoor Cannabis (Cannabis sativa) Cultivation

“…Most research evaluating the effects of light intensity on insects used intensities lower than what is used in cannabis cultivation (<500 µmol•m −2 •s −1 ). Identifying the effects of high light intensities on pests and BCAs will be very important as the general trend is that increasing intensity results in increases to desirable traits for BCAs such as dispersal, host feeding, fecundity, and longevity (Zilahi-Balogh et al, 2006Schirmer et al, 2008;Johansen et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2013;Tan et al, 2014).…”

Female choice of mates in the aphidophagous ladybird beetle, Hippodamia variegata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): the effect of male age, sexual status and familiarity

“…In ladybirds mate choice is reported to be based on morph (Osawa and Nishida 1992;Mishra and Omkar 2014), age (Bista and Omkar 2015), body size (Dubey et al 2016), mating status (Dubey et al 2018) and familiarity (Saxena et al 2018). Hippodamia variegata (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an aphidophagous ladybird native to Asia and a potential biological control agent (Tan et al 2014). Mainly only the effect of polyandry and male body size (Pervez and Navodita 2011;Pervez and Singh 2013) are studied in this ladybird and little is known about its sexual behaviour.…”