Consequences of adult size for survival and reproductive performance in a herbivorous ladybird beetle

Abstract

Abstract. A univoltine herbivorous ladybird beetle Epilachna niponica (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) shows a large variation in adult size within a population. Large adults had higher survival from emergence to the reproductive season, and the size‐dependent adult survival was most apparent during hibernation. On the other hand, adult survival during pre‐hibernation contributed little to size‐dependent overall survival. Neither reproductive lifespan nor lifetime fecundity were a function of adult size, though large females produced larger size of egg batches. Size of adult beetles was significantly reduced by leaf damage to plants on which they grew up on larval stage. Since leaf herbivory increases through the season, late emerged adults that were subjected to food deterioration during the larval period were smaller than early‐emerged individuals.