Abstract
The oviposition behavior of the yellowheaded borer,Dirphya nigricornis Olivier (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), on coffee plants consists of the following phases: physical search of the tips by the tarsi and by vision, preparation of the chosen ovipositional site with the mandibles, and egg deposition and sealing. This period lasts 11.3 ± 1.8 min (all values ± S.E.), and is comprised of a search period of 3.0 ± 0.5 min, a gnawing period of 1.0 ± 0.2 min, an egg deposition period of 5.0 ± 0.1 min, and a sealing period of 2.0 ± 0.3 min. Within that time, the females are able to integrate various plant factors such as preferability of distal tip internodes, their green color and girths of 0.9 ± 0.1 cm, and the possibility of peeling the bark with the least force; these external factors, in addition to the length of the green primordial tissue, may account for the abundance and distribution of the egg niches on internode tips.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.