AND 320Mm As Auccummxgmgusnm MURT. M a Mscmm Woomor
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SOME OQSERVATIONS ON THE UFE NESTOR)! AND 320mm as auccummxgmgusnm MURT. m A mscmm woomor Thesis 50'! 9M chm cf M. S. MECHQGAN STATE UNIVERSETY Charles Francis Gibbons 1960 OVERDUE FINES 25¢ perd per 1m RETURIING ”LIBRASX MATERIALS: Place in book return to charge fr one circuIAtion records SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE LIFE HISTORY AND BIOIDGY OF BUCCULNTRIX AINSLIELLA HURT. IN A MICHI GAN WOODIDT by CHARLES FRANCIS GIBBONS Submitted to the College of Science and Arts of Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Entomology 1960 Approved 1/ , r I ABSTPZCT This study describes the biology and life history of Brcculatrix ainsliella Murt. in Baker woodlot on the Michigan State University campus in 1959. The insect was collected periodically in all stages of its life history. Eggs and larvae were observed from leaf samples collected in plot areas. Instars were determined in the larval stage by the measurement of head capsules. Change in head structure and body growth was noted in immature forms. The size, number, aplearance and position of first and second generation mines of E. ainsliella in the leaves are recorded. Cons- truction, size, location and number of moulting tents were observed on the host leaves. Habits of dispersal were observed for this insect in the larval stage. The description, location and<zonstruction of the cocoon of E. ainsliella was observed and apyearance and emergence of the pupa was discussed. The appearance and habits of adults are discuSsed on the basis of observations from both generations. Experiments to determine feeding habits of the insect on white oak, red oak and sugar maple were carried out. Percentage overwintering and summer pupal mortality and parasitism was obtained. Parasites of the insect were determined and natural predation was observed in the field. SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE LIFE HISTORY AND BIOLOGY OF BUCCULATRIX AINSLIELLA MURT. IN A MICHIGAN WOODIDT by CHARLES FRANCIS GIBBONS A THESIS Submitted to the College of Science and Arts of Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Department of Entomology 1960 x}! ‘1‘». ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author wishes to express deep appreciation to Prof. Ray Hutson and Dr. James W. Butcher for their guidance in the construction of this thesis as well as making some financial arrangements for the project. Their interest continually influenced and encouraged the writer towards' completion of this investigation. Acknowledgement is extended to Dean L. Haynes, graduate student in the Department of Entomology, for his constructive criticism of the tables and graphs, and to Dr. Philip Clark for his suggestions on statistical treatment of the data. The writer is also indebted to Miss Annette Braun, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and P. I. Oman of the U. S. National Museum for making positive identification of the species worked with in this thesis. Finally thanks are extended Dr. John Cantlon, Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Dr. Victor Rudolph, Department of Forestry, and Dr. Roland Fischer, Department of Entomology for serving on the writer's committee and offering criticism of the material. 111 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgements . iii Introduction . Review of Literature . Description of Experimental Area . 14 Sampling and Collecting Procedure 16 Description and Life History of Bucculatrix ainsliella Baker WOodlot, 1959 . 19 Egg Stage . 19 Mining Stage . 23 Emergence from Mines . 25 Free Feeding Stage . 30 First Moulting Tents . 3O Second Moulting Tents . 33 Cocoon Stage . 35 Description of the Cocoon 35 Formation of the Cocoon 36 Description of the Pupa 37 PUpal Emergence . 37 Adult Stage . 38 Host Preference and Range . 42 Factors Affecting Abundance . 46 Control 50 Summary 51 Bibliography . 53 iv LIST OF TABLES Table ' ' Page 1 number of Eggs Found in Dissected Females of Bucculatrix ainsliella, First and Second @nerations o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o n o o o o o ‘ 24 2 Egg and Mining Stage of Bucculatrix ainsliella, Second Generation . 26 3 Mbulting Tents of Bucculatrix ainsliella: First and Second Generations . ., 34 4 Overwintering Pupal Mortality of Bucculatrix ain811ella .. I O O O I O O I O O O O O I O I O O I I O I 40 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page Life History Chart of Bucculatrix ainsliella . 20 II First and Second Generation Mining and Free Feeding Stages of Bucculatrix ainsliella . -22 III Frequency Distribution of Head Capsule Sizes Found in Bucculatrix ainsliella, Second Generation . 28 IV First and Second Adult Emergence and Mbrtality in the PUpal Stage of Bucculatrix ainsliella . 39 Rates of Increment Growth of Nerthern Red Oak and American Beech in Baker Woodlot . 45 vi LIST OF PLATES Plate Page I Cocoon of E. ainsliella . 56 II Adult of E. ainsliella. 56 III Eggs of g. ainsliella . 57 IV First moulting tent of E. ainsliella. 57 V Second moulting tent of E. ainsliella . 58 VI Larva of g. ainsliella . 58 vii SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE LIFE HISTORY AND BIOLOGY OF BUCCULATRIX AINSLIELLA HURT. IN A MICHIGAN WOODLOT INTRODUCTION In both 1958 and 1959, leaves of northern red oak, Quercus rubra DuRoi, growing in Baker Woodlot on the campus of Michigan State Univere sity had been fed upon by a mining and skeletonizing insect, Bucculatrix ainsliella Murtfeldt. The study reported here was under- taken in order to supplement published notes on life history, biology, and ecology of the species. Although the adverse effect on the growth of the trees was not conspicuous, it was thought that persisflnflzinfestations of mining and skeletonizing conceivably could cause permanent injury to the trees and perhaps eventually bring about changes in stand composition. In 1958 and 1959, injury by B. ainsliella was noted in Ingham, Allegan and Kent Counties in Michigan. The possible influence of en- vironmental conditions and natural enemies in terminating the outbreak before host injury can manifest itself was considered in planning the work reported here. Because of the high populations present, data were easily obtain- able in all stages of the insect's life history once the observer knew ‘what to look for. Due to unfamiliarity with the species, however, it was not possible to obtain good first generation observations in 1959. Furthermore, DDT'was sprayed by airplane early in the spring of 1959 in the vicinity of the woodlot. Subsequent observations indicated 1 2 that the spraying did affect the adult stage of the overwintering popu- lation, since only two adults were found after spraying, whereas before treatment they were numerous. Eggs apparently had been laid before spraying took place, so that the overall effect on the population was not serious as far as this study is concerned. REVIEW OF LITERATURE The earliest biological reference to the genus Bucculatrix ac- cording to Needham st 21. (1928), is found in the first volume of de Geer's "Memoires" published in 1752 entitled "Memoires pour servir a l'historie des insects,? in which is given the life history of a "little caterpillar with sixteen legs; smooth, green, which feeds on the lower side of the leaves of Frangula." It was the manner in which this insect spun its cocoon which attracted the attention of de Geer. A description of cocoon construction, the pupa, larva and injury to the host plant are given. The species described was Bucculatrix frangubella Goeze and the host plant Rhamnus frangula, Buckhorn. The larvae of several species of Bucculatrix are known in Europe; but in this country, until Clemens' (1872) mention of B. pomifoliella C1em., there had been no known publications. The genus Bucculatrix was placed in the family Lyonetiidae by Zeller in 1748, according to Stainton (1867). The genus included a group of minute leaf-mining moths, the adult antennae of which possessed eye caps. Stainton (1867) in the first general treatise on Bucculatrix, placed the genus in the Tineidae. Up until 1873 this genus was usually associated with Lithocolletis and allied genera, but according to Friend (1927), the fact that it is an external feeder, (except for a very brief period), the absence of palpi and tongue; eye cap, and the different neuration of the wings appear to constitute generic differences. 4 Bucculatrix is usually classified today in the Lyonetiidae and is so classified by Forbes (1923). There are, of course, differences of opinion as to the classification of Lepidoptera and of this genus in particular. Forbes places Bucculatrix in the family Lyonetiidae of the super-family Tineoidea, but Mosher (1916) places it in the family Bucculatrigidae of the super—family Gracilarioidea, basing her decision on pupal characters. Fracker (1915) places the family Bucculatrigidae in super-family Tineoidea as classified by larval characters. The grouping of families and genera in the Tineina is still apparently open to question. The genus will here be placed in the family Lyonetiidae according to Forbes (1923). The family Lyonetiidae, as usually defined, according to Craighead (1950), includes numerous species of tiny moths which have structural characters in common, but having larvae whose habits and forms differ considerably. The majority of the species of Lyonetiidae, however, fall within the genus, Bucculatrix; the "ribbed-cocoon makers." The adults of Bucculatrix as described by Craighead (1950) have the vertex of the head smooth, and the basal segments of the antennae extended to form an eye cap fringed with stiff hairs. The wings are lanceolate, the hind pair broadly fringed with scales and usually with brown, black or sil- very white markings. Needham £5 21. (1928) divide the family Lyonetiidae into three groups: I - Lyonetia group, whose tissue feeding larvae are miners throughout life but pupate outside the mine; 11 - Phyllocnistis group, whose larvae form a chamber at the end of the mine in which they pupate; and III -- the Bucculatrix group, whose ordinary tissue-feeding larvae 5 are equipped with strong thoracic legs and which mine in the first lar- val stage only, feeding thereafter openly on the leaf surface.