Multifaceted fungal characteristics determining the fungal feeding preferences of the psocid, Liposcelis bostrychophila badonnel (Psocoptera: Liposcelidae)

Abstract

Psocids inhabit stored foods and cereals and cause serious problems with regard to food hygiene. They are a major target for pest control around the world, including Japan. Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel (Psocoptera: Liposcelidae) is a representative species of household psocid that prefers to feed on fungi while also spreading fungi in the site it inhabits; it is therefore recognized as an indicator of fungal generation. The present study investigated the characteristics of fungi that influence the feeding behavior of this fungivorous insect using four fungus species (Aspergillus tubingensis, Aspergillus flavus, Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium cladosporioides) that are representative fungi found in Japanese food factories and food storage facilities. The results of preference and feeding tests performed using an arena device (diameter: 9 cm) and a handmade olfactometer revealed that P. chrysogenum was the most attractive fungus for feeding. Based on the comparison of multiple characteristics of P. chrysogenum and the three other fungus species, the factors that were considered to evoke the feeding behavior of L. bostrychophila were a velvety appearance with hyphae that were shorter than the height of the insect as well as specific odors. The present study clarified the common characteristics of the fungi preferred by L. bostrychophila, which may be used to predict pest occurrence and develop agents for trapping and monitoring, thus leading to effective integrated pest management.