Abstract
A laboratory experiment was conducted to determine whether the predation strategy of larvae of the aphidophagous silver fly Leucopis annulipes Zetterstedt (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae) is furtive, as are larvae of the aphidophagous midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza Rondani (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), or active like aphidophagous ladybird beetle larvae (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). The impact of L. annulipes larvae on pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), colony disturbance was evaluated and compared with that of the furtive predator A. aphidimyza and the active-searching ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis Pallas. Results indicate that aphids showed significantly fewer defensive acts (dropping, walking away, wriggling) in the presence of L. annulipes larvae than of ladybird beetle larvae. Furthermore, the impact of L. annulipes larvae on aphid colony disturbance was similar to that of A. aphidimyza and to a control treatment without predators. These results clearly indicate that L. annulipes larvae use a furtive predation strategy.
Highlights
Most aphidophagous predators, such as ladybirds and lacewing larvae, use an active-searching strategy that elicits aphid defensive behaviour (Dixon, 1958; Losey & Denno, 1998b; Lucas & Brodeur, 2001)
One known exception is the furtive predation strategy used by larvae of Aphidoletes aphidimyza Rondani (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) (Lucas & Brodeur, 2001)
The impact of L. annulipes larvae on pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), colony disturbance was compared to that of A. aphidimyza larvae, which are known as furtive predators, and Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) larvae, which are activesearching predators
Summary
Most aphidophagous predators, such as ladybirds and lacewing larvae, use an active-searching strategy that elicits aphid defensive behaviour (Dixon, 1958; Losey & Denno, 1998b; Lucas & Brodeur, 2001). One known exception is the furtive predation strategy used by larvae of Aphidoletes aphidimyza Rondani (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) (Lucas & Brodeur, 2001). A. aphidimyza larvae live within aphid colonies, trigger little defensive reaction by aphids, and do not cause significant disruption of the colony structure (Lucas & Brodeur, 2001). Lucas & Brodeur (2001) demonstrated that another possible advantage of furtive predation is protection from intraguild predation via a dilution effect. Since A. aphidimyza larvae are highly susceptible to intraguild predation (Lucas et al, 1998; Hindayana et al, 2001), living within a high density aphid colony reduces the risk of being preyed upon
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