Suitable Food Plants Research Articles

Garden plants for wild bees – Laypersons’ assessment of their suitability and opinions on gardening approaches

Gardens can support wild bees in otherwise resource-poor environments if they provide suitable food plants and nesting sites. Public attitudes towards planting for pollinators are currently not well understood and little information is available about what laypersons know about bee-friendly plants. The present study aimed to fill this knowledge gap with the help of photographs of 30 garden plants. Half of these plants were suitable food sources (nectar and/or pollen) for wild bees, the other half were not. Laypersons’ perceptions of the 30 plants and their attitudes towards certain types of garden management (bee-friendly or not) were investigated. The plants were assigned to five picture sets (each set included three suitable and three unsuitable plants), and for each set data from 40 persons were collected (n = 200, all adults, 63 % women). Participants considered plants that are suitable for wild bees as more suitable than plants that are not. However, an overall mean suitability score of 4.9 on the 7-step assessment scale even for the unsuitable plants indicated that respondents were not able to clearly differentiate between the two types. Most plants were perceived as beautiful and desirable, which correlated with attributed bee suitability. For this reason, a number of attractive plants that do not produce pollen such as Forsythia x intermedia were considered suitable for wild bees, while common ivy (Hedera helix), a good provider of nectar, but one of the least attractive plants, was not. Participants placed importance on bee-friendly, ecological gardening. The support for bee-friendly gardening was linked to the number of plants participants could correctly identify and to their ecological knowledge. The results suggest that while many people would like to improve the suitability of their gardens for bees, there is a lack of knowledge about bee-friendly species and a need for improved information and communication.

Formulation of design concept of urban park using butterflies as a good urban environment bio-indicator

Creating an urban eco-park an efforts to restore habitat in urban areas. The Urban Eco-Park is useful to be a wildlife refuge, as well as functioning the urban park to become an indicator of environmental quality by introducing butterflies. The butterfly is one of the animals that can be observed more easily and closely than other species of insects. Butterflies have a significant ecological role, which can be found in several habitats of urban areas. The benefit of butterfly is acting as a good urban environment bio-indicator. Some butterflies’ species mentioned in a case study as a bio indicator but the abundance and diversity of butterflies have more important role to indicate a good urban environment. The objective of this study is creating model to formulate a concept of urban park where the park is become an indicator of a good environment showing by butterflies appearance. The Site Plan was made with concept to invite butterflies by using their proper plants preferences (food plants and host plants). The method in this study using descriptive method comprised literature review from case studies and field observations. The result showed that a well landscape management was able to provide suitable food plants and host plants which were important to maintain the existence of butterflies in an urban park.

Suitable food plants for mass rearing of the short-horn grasshopper Oxya hyla hyla (Orthoptera: Acrididae)

Acridids could be an alternative source of protein for feeding to livestock as large numbers can be produced by rearing them on suitable food plants under optimum environmental conditions. The aim of the present study was to find a suitable food plant for the mass culture of the short-horn grasshopper Oxya hyla hyla (Serville). Food consumption and utilization, growth (growth rate, average daily growth, specific growth rate and wet weight gain), survival and life span of this insect reared on Sorghum halepense, Cyanodon dactylon and a mixture of these two plants were determined. The result revealed that the food utilization, growth and survival of this grasshopper depended on the food plant. The nymphs that were reared on C. dactylon consumed less food but had a greater efficiency of conversion of ingested food to body mass, growth performance and survival than those feed on the other two types of food. In contrast, the food consumption and utilization, growth and weight gain of adult grasshoppers was greatest when they were reared on S. halepense. These results indicate that of the plants used in this study C. dactylon is the best for rearing the nymphs and S. halepense for rearing the adults of Oxya hyla hyla.

Assessment of consumption, utilisation and growth of Oedaleus abruptus (Thunberg) and Spathosternum prasiniferum prasiniferum (Walker) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) fed with various food plants in laboratory conditions

Summary. Grasshoppers are serious pests of crops worldwide. In the present era of changing agricultural practices and uncertainty regarding the impacts of global climate change, the need to understand the nutritional ecology of grasshoppers is urgent. In the present study newly hatched nymphs of two multivoltine acridids, Spathosternum prasiniferum prasiniferum and Oedaleus abruptus, were fed with four food plants of the family Poaceae: Cynodon dactylon, Triticum aestivum, Sorghum halepense and Oryza sativa. Then their growth, adult life span, food consumption and utilisation were recorded. Sorghum halepense was found to be the most suitable food plant for S. pr. prasiniferum whereas for O. abruptus it was Triticum aestivum followed by Sorghum halepense in most cases. The results from the present study may help forecasting modellers to simulate a predictive model that may speculate future outbreaks, forage loss and its possible effects on the economy more efficiently.

Morphometric and developmental consequences in Spodoptera litura due to feeding on three varieties of sweet potato plants (Ipomoea batata)

The tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a polyphagous pest defoliating sweet potato, Ipomoea batata (Lam) (Convolvulaceae), throughout Asia. The study of morphometric parameters of S. litura as a result of feeding on three varieties (RNSP1, KIRAN and RNSP3) of host plant revealed that a greater number of egg masses were laid on the KIRAN variety than on the others. I. batata varieties showed statistically significant effects on length, breadth and weight of different larval instars. KIRAN-fed larvae molted to bigger-sized pupae. S. litura larvae reared on KIRAN variety had the highest feeding index as well as growth index. The low concentrations of phenols and carbohydrates coupled with elevated levels of proteins and amino acids were found in KIRAN as compared with RNSP1 and RNSP3. Collectively, the results of this study revealed that KIRAN cultivar was the most suitable food plant for the development of S. litura. Concurrently, it is suggested that this cultivar is therefore least suitable for sweet potato cultivation.

Producción de biomasa anual de dos acrídidos (Orthoptera: Acrididae) como alimento alternativo para aves de corral

Los acrídidos podrían ser una fuente de proteínas no convencional alternativa para las granjas de aves de corral. Para una producción masiva de biomasa de acrídidos, es esencial seleccionar las especies adecuadas, junto con las plantas que los alimenten adecuadamente. Se llevó a cabo un experimento para criar dos acrídidos comunes en la India, Oxya hyla y Spathosternum prasiniferum y estimar cuál de ellos puede producir una mayor biomasa anual cuando se alimentan de tres plantas, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Brachiaria mutica y Cynodon dactylon, determinando cual de ellas es el alimento más favorable. Para la producción anual de biomasa, en términos de número, se estimaron las tasas de fecundidad, fertilidad, mortalidad de ninfas y el sexo de ambas especies de acrídidos alimentados con las tres diferentes plantas. También se estimaron la producción de biomasa anual, en términos de peso húmedo y seco, y el contenido de energía. Entre las dos especies, O. hyla mostró valores más altos de fecundidad, fertilidad y peso corporal, tanto húmedo como seco, y valores más bajos de mortalidad de ninfas para las tres plantas. Entre las tres plantas utilizadas como alimento, B. mutica fue la más adecuada para la producción anual de biomasa para ambos acrídidos. Se concluye que la cría masiva de O. hyla alimentándose de B. mutica puede producir una gran biomasa anual en las granjas de acrídidos.

越冬潜入場所から離脱したクサギカメムシ成虫の栄養状態

Nutritional status of post-overwintering adults of Halyomorpha halys at their hibernating site was investigated in Akita Prefecture, northern Japan from 2000 to 2005. Nutritional levels of the adults were significantly lower than those of pre-hibernating adults, and the fat body did not develop. Additionally, nutritional levels of the adults recently exited from the hibernating site were significantly lower than those of the adults at their hibernating site in April in 2001 and 2002. Almost all the adults given only water in field from late April could not survive until late May in 2002. These observations suggested that post-overwintering adults of H. halys exiting from the hibernating sites cannot survive for a long period, if they cannot feed on their suitable food plant.

Interspecific symbiont transfection confers a novel ecological trait to the recipient insect

In Japan, pea aphids Acyrthosiphon pisum mainly feed on vetch and clover, and many aphid clones produce more progeny on vetch than on clover. In this context, particular genotypes of the facultative symbiont Regiella insecticola enhance reproduction of infected pea aphids specifically on clover, thereby broadening the suitable food plant range of the insect. A species that is sympatric to A. pisum, vetch aphids Megoura crassicauda, are commonly found on vetch but not on clover. Laboratory rearing of M. crassicauda strains revealed active reproduction on vetch but substantially no reproduction on clover. Experimental transfection of Regiella from A. pisum to M. crassicauda by haemolymph injection established stable and heritable infection in the recipients, although no Regiella infection has been detected in natural populations of M. crassicauda. Different strains of Regiella-transfected M. crassicauda grew and reproduced on vetch, but exhibited lower fitness in comparison with corresponding uninfected aphid strains. Strikingly, the Regiella-transfected M. crassicauda exhibited improved survival and some reproduction on clover. These results suggest that Regiella has the potential to confer an ecological trait, adaptation to clover, on novel insect hosts, and also account for why Regiella is able to infect M. crassicauda but is scarcely found in these aphid populations.

Chromosomal polymorphism in Galerucella sagittariae (Gyll.) (Chrysomelidae, Coleoptera) in Finland

B-chromosome polymorphism in 20 populations of Galerucella sagittariae in Finland and one population in Sweden was studied. 13 of the populations were living on Comarum palustre (southern Finland and Sweden), 7 on Rubus chamaemorus (northern Finland), and one on Alchemilla vulgaris. The distributions of the beetles on Comarum and Rubus do not overlap broadly. The standard chromosome number was found to be 2n = 34 (16 + Xy,). In all but one Finnish population, also supernumerary B-chromosomes were found in varying frequencies (1.658.6 YO). In general, the B-chromosome frequency of a population seemed to stay at a constant level from generation to generation. The distribution of the frequencies formed an increasing cline from southwest to northeast, indicating an adaptive significance of B-chromosomes. The size of the Bchromosomes varied from minute-sized to autosome-sized chromosomes. Being largely euchromatic, all Bchromosomes were able to form chiasmatic bivalents in meiosis. They were isopycnotic during meiotic prophase and their segregational behavior was normal. Part of the B-chromosomes were mitotically stable and another part mitotically unstable. The presence of B-chromosomes could not be detected by inspecting the external phenotype of individuals. Obviously some genetic differentiation has taken place between southern and northern Galerucella sagittariae. The southern form is dependent on the immediate proximity of water while the northern form is able to live in considerably drier habitats, and thus the variety of suitable food plants is much broader.

Foraging ranges of solitary bees

Summary Habitat requirements of solitary bees include nesting sites, food resources and nesting material. We used translocation experiments to establish foraging distances and measured foraging trip duration to analyse how solitary bees cope with the distance between nesting sites and suitable food plants in different habitat types. Maximum foraging distance between nesting site and food patch was 150–600 m for the 16 bee species examined. Foraging distance was correlated positively with body length. Mean foraging trip duration, measured for seven bee species, ranged from 6 to 28 min and was also correlated with body length. In a study of the polylectic species Osmia rufa , we found a significant decrease in foraging trip duration with increasing number of plant species. Logistic regressions showed that the oligolectic Megachile lapponica nested in trap nests with a probability of 50% if the distance between trap nest and food patch was less than 250 m. The oligolectic Chelostoma rapunculi utilized trap nests when the distance to the nearest food patch was less than 300 m. These experiments showed that solitary bees have a rather small foraging range so local habitat structure appears to be of more importance than large‐scale landscape structure. All requirements for sustaining viable populations must be within this range. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain and restore a dense network of habitat patches in landscapes to ensure long‐term sustainability of wild bee diversity and their ecological function as pollinators.

Olfactory responses of the vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus, to tree odours

Abstract A Y‐tube olfactometer and a still‐air olfactometer were developed to determine the attractiveness of several host plants for the vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.); Coleoptera: Curculionidae). Odours of weevil‐damaged yew (Taxus baccata) and spindle trees (Euonymus fortunei) are attractive to the vine weevil, but Rhododendron and strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) are not. Undamaged Euonymus is attractive to the weevils in springtime but not in late summer. When clean air or undamaged Euonymus is the alternative, weevils strongly prefer weevil‐damaged Euonymus foliage, and this preference is retained throughout the year. Hence, plant damage plays a role in attraction of the vine weevil. In contrast to the permanent attractiveness of weevil‐damaged Euonymus, mechanically damaged plants gradually lose the attractiveness that they have early in the growing season. This suggests that emission of volatiles, produced by the plants in response to weevil damage, is important for attraction of the weevils because the weevils may use these plant odours to find suitable food plants throughout the season. Apart from weevil‐damage‐related plant volatiles, green leaf volatiles must also play a significant role, as indicated by the fact that weevils prefer: early season, undamaged Euonymus over clean air; early season, mechanically damaged Euonymus over undamaged Euonymus; and, throughout the season, had no preference when mechanically damaged Euonymus is tested against weevil‐damaged Euonymus. Thus, monitoring traps may be developed by the use of green leaf volatiles and/or herbivore‐induced volatiles, as attractants.

A European pest to control a new zealand weed: investigating the safety of heather beetle, Lochmaea suturalis (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) for biological control of heather, Calluna vulgaris.

Heather, Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull, is a serious invasive weed in the central North Island of New Zealand, especially in Tongariro National Park, a World Heritage Area. Heather beetle, Lochmaea suturalis (Thomson), is a foliage-feeding pest of Calluna in Europe, that was selected as the most promising biological control agent for introduction into New Zealand, because it causes high levels of damage to Calluna in Europe. Host-range tests indicated that L. suturalis poses a negligible threat to native New Zealand plants. Cultivars of Calluna grown as ornamentals are suitable food plants, but are unlikely to be severely affected because L. suturalis requires a damp understorey of moss or litter for successful oviposition and pupation, which is rarely present in gardens. However, mosses and litter occurring under Calluna stands in Tongariro National Park are suitable substrates for eggs and pupae. Lochmaea suturalis released in New Zealand has been freed of parasitoids and a microsporidian disease that attack the beetles in Europe.

Food acceptance by a monophagous and an oligophagous insect in relation to seasonal changes in host plant suitability

AbstractFood acceptance by larvae of two lepidopteran species feeding on Rosaceae, viz. Yponomeuta evonymellus (monophagous) and Y. padellus (oligophagous), was compared. The influence of seasonal changes in plants as food for both insects was examined, in particular, the effects of nitrogen and sorbitol in leaves. In the laboratory, Y. evonymellus accepts Crataegus monogyna, a host plant of Y. padellus, and Y. padellus accepts Prunus padus, the host plant of Y. evonymellus. P. padus is the most suitable food plant for Y. evonymellus. No difference in food‐quality for Y. padellus was found between C. monogyna and P. padus. The performance of both species on P. padus is less influenced by seasonal changes than on Crataegus. The suitability of Crataegus decreases during the season. This is probably caused by the decrease of its nitrogen content, and not by the decrease of sorbitol in the plant. The monophagous, Y. evonymellus, is more sensitive to seasonal changes in its food when fed with a non host plant than the oligophagous Y. padellus. In oviposition experiments both species have a preference for their normal host‐plants.

DEVELOPMENTAL, SURVIVAL, AND REPRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS OF BERTHA ARMYWORM, MAMESTRA CONFIGURATA (LEPIDOPTERA: NOCTUIDAE) ON FOUR PLANT SPECIES

AbstractThe species of plant on which larvae of Mamestra configurata (Wlk.) fed had significant effects on the rate of larval development, larval and pupal survival, pupal weight, the percentage of females that mated, and the number of fertile eggs/mated female. Among the four plant species tested, using living plants, the canola cultivars (Brassica napus cv. Regent and B. campestris cv. Candle) were approximately equal in suitability, lamb's-quarters (Chenopodium album) was less suitable, and lentils (Lens culinaris cv. Chilean) was unsuitable as food for M. configurata. The parameters recorded for larval survival, pupal weight, and the number of eggs/female on the most suitable food plants were higher than those recorded previously for larvae reared on excised leaves of suitable hosts.

BIOLOGY AND REARING OF PARAPHLEPSIUS IRRORATUS (HOMOPTERA: CICADELLIDAE), A VECTOR OF PEACH X-DISEASE

AbstractA method of rearing Paraphlepsius irroratus (Say) under artificial conditions was developed by using a leguminous plant species as the oviposition host and a gramineous species as the food plant for nymphs. Nymphs completed their development on all 10 gramineous species tested. Total time for completion of the 5 nymphal instars ranged from 31.8 to 59.2 days, depending on the plant species used. With the exception of Alopecurus pratensis, all monocotyledonous species tested were found to be suitable food plants for nymphs, allowing 50% or more of the insects to survive for 3 weeks or more. Only 5 dicotyledonous species supported a similar survival level of nymphs. Adult survival remained above the 50% level on Apium graveolans var. dulce, 6 members of the Leguminosae, and all members of Composite with the exception of Callistephus chinensis. Survival of adult leafhoppers on monocotyledons was relatively high after 1 week but considerable mortality followed longer confinement. Although nymphs emerged from eggs laid on a wide range of plant species, the numbers recorded on monocotyledons suggest that monocots are important as oviposition hosts for P. irroratus in nature.

NATIVE HOST PLANTS OF THE LARVAE OF THE RED TURNIP BEETLE, ENTOMOSCELIS AMERICANA (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE)

AbstractThe suitability of four indigenous species (Descurainia pinnata (Walt.) Britt., D. richardsonii (Sweet) O.E. Schulz, Lepidium densiflorum Schrad., and Rorippa palustris (L.) Besser) and one introduced species (Erysimum cheiranthoides L.) of Cruciferae as host plants for the larvae of the red turnip beetle, Entomoscelis americana Brown, was tested in the laboratory using excised true leaves as food and Brassica napus L. and D. sophia (L.) Webb as control treatments. R. palustris was a suitable food plant. D. pinnata, D. richardsonii, E. cheiranthoides, and L. densiflorum were marginally suitable. Of the four indigenous species, R. palustris probably is the only one that normally is a host plant of the larvae in nature.

The influence of food plants on food utilization by Orthosia gothica (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) larvae

Malus domestica, Salix caprea L. and Betula pubescens Ehrh. are host plants for Orthosia gothica L. The influence of the three plant species on time of larval development, mortality, and weight gain, and of adult fecundity, was studied. M. domestica was the most suitable food plant for the O. gothica larvae, and there was a positive correlation between the live weights of the females and their fecundity. The consumption, digestion and respiration of O. gothica larvae reared on foliage of S. caprea and B. pubescens were compared. Larvae fed on S. caprea had a shorter time of development, a higher weight gain, and a lower mortality, consumption, digestion and respiration compared with larvae reared on B. pubescens. Larvae reared on B. pubescens used a greater part of metabolism for maintenance than those on S. caprea. The different effects of the two food plants on the larvae were due to nutritional and/or physical conditions.

THE SUITABILITY OF NINE SPECIES OF CRUCIFERAE AS HOSTS FOR THE LARVAE OF THE RED TURNIP BEETLE, ENTOMOSCELIS AMERICANA (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE)

AbstractThe suitability of nine species of Cruciferae as hosts for the larvae of the red turnip beetle, Entomoscelis americana Brown, was tested in the laboratory using excised cotyledons or true leaves as food and rape (Brassica campestris L.) as the standard. The three types of commercial mustards grown in Canada (yellow-seeded (oriental mustard) and brown-seeded (brown mustard) forms of Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.; and yellow mustard, B. hirta Moench) and three weeds (Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic, shepherd’s purse; Erucastrum gallicum (Willd.) O.E. Schulz, dog mustard; and Sinapis arvensis L., wild mustard) were suitable food plants. Brassica nigra (L.) Koch (black mustard), Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb (flixweed), and Sisymbrium loeselii L. (tall hedge mustard) were marginally suitable. Thlaspi arvense L. (stinkweed) was a non-host plant. These observations suggest that an important element of the pest management system for the red turnip beetle should be the elimination of volunteer commercial mustards and the cruciferous weeds, except T. arvense, in April and May to prevent population build-up.

Habitat preferences of ungulates in closed savanna of central Africa

AbstractHabitat preferences of fifteen species of ungulate were studied between July and September 1975 in dry savanna woodland of Mwabvi Game Reserve, Southern Malawi, Central Africa.Thirteen vegetation types were recognized using vegetation transects and plotless sampling techniques (but three of these are omitted from further analysis here either because of the difficulty of sampling in a representative manner or because of their infrequency). A combination of six methods was used to study habitat preferences since each had particular advantages or disadvantages, although quadrat sampling of fresh pellets/spoor counts was the most satisfactory and so used predominantly.The most common and widely distributed species was the Greater kudu, although abundance estimates in different habitats varied according to the method used. Pellet/spoor counts showed heavy use of open grassland by kudu which was not detected by daytime drives. Temporal patterns of activity indicated that the species was moving into more closed woodland during the day and only coming out into open grassland at night. Relative abundance estimates of a species may also be affected by changing group size. The mean group size of kudu increased in more open vegetation, although group size in warthog did not show this relationship. Some species, e.g. impala, reedbuck, and klipspringer showed narrow habitat preferences, occurring in only one or a few vegetation types, whilst others, e.g. kudu, sable, duiker, suni, and grysbok showed much broader preferences.Mixed Colophospermum mopane /Acacia woodland had the highest species diversity but rather low abundance. Open grassland and Acacia/Albizia woodland had high species diversity together with the greatest abundance of ungulates. Open Julbernardia/Diplorynchus, Brachystegia/Julber‐nardia woodland, and particularly Pterocarpus/Diplorynchus/Combretum hill woodland had the lowest species diversity and abundance of ungulates. Ready access to cover and availability of suitable food plants probably account for the preferences of certain vegetation types over others, whilst the different behavioural ecology and food preferences of each species account for individual species differences. Access to water probably also determines habitat preferences in particular species, and studies during the wet season may show different distributions.

Feeding patterns in grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Acrididae): Factors influencing diet specialization.

Diets of grasshopper species from two arid grassland communities in Trans-Pecos, Texas, were determined by gut analysis. Species-specific food plant choice and niche breadths are presented for each of these species. As a group, grasshoppers range from monophagous to polyphagous feeders although most species fall in the oligophagous to polyphagous group. Phylogenetic constraints are evident such that gomphocerinae are primarily grass feeders while melanoplinae feed predominantly on forbs; the oedipodinae show less clearcut tendencies.Feeding patterns are remarkably constant from site to site and overall, community niche breadth distributions between sites do not differ greatly. Individual species tend to eat the same plant species at various sites and maintain similar niche breadths. Species with relatively specialized diets tend to feed on predictable plant species such as grasses and long-lived perrenial forbs.Grasshopper feeding patterns present some problems to the current theory of herbivore diet specialization since forb feeding melanoplines tend to be polyphagous (contrary to predictions). Life history patterns unrelated to tracking host plants may explain some aspects of diet breadth since diet selectivities are presumably adjusted according to the probability of finding suitable food plants.