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Durham E-Theses Studies on coleophora caespititiella zell. (Lep.) associated with juncos squarrosus L Jordan, Anthony M. How to cite: Jordan, Anthony M. (1955) Studies on coleophora caespititiella zell. (Lep.) associated with juncos squarrosus L, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/9526/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 STUDIES ON COLEOPHORA CAESPITITIELIA ZBLL. (Lep.) ASSOCIATED WITH JWCUS SQUARROSUS L. BY ANTHONY M. JORDAN. - "being a thesis presented in candidature for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of Durham, 1955. Abstract from thesis entitled STUDIES ON COLEOPHOHA CAE3PITITIELLA. ZELL. f) ASSOCIATED WITH JUNCUS 3QUARR03US L. - Tjeing a thesis presented by Anthony M. Jordan in candi32*H£f«^°^ Degree of Doctor of Hillosophy in the Dhlversity of DuriiamTT^SB* Investigations on the relationship hetween the moth, Coleo-phora caespitltlella Zell., and the rush, Juncus sauarrosus L., were carried out on the Moor House Nature Reserve, in the northern Pennlnes, frcm 1952 to 1954. Details of/jtshe life-history of 0. oaespltitiella. which in the larval stage feeds cm the seeds of various rash species, are given. Behaviour studies were carriol/out on the final instar larvae (marking experiments showed that thejse visited a mean of 2.28 rush capsules during their feeding perioC^Hi 1953) and also on the imagines. J. aquarrosus is shown to 1)6 broadly distrllDuted over the study area. The capacity of the rush to produce ripe seeds dlmimghed with increasing altitude, and fruiting was less extensive in the cool summer of 1954 than in the two jpreceedlng seasons. The distrlhution of Coleophora closely corresponded to the degree of ripe seed production hy the rush in ea(di season. In all years ripe seed production aiiePgoleophoi?a infestation of the rash to any giyen extent, occurred about 300* higher on the eastern Pennine slopes than on the western.. T^menopterous parasites of the Coleonhora larvae were recorded only in populations helow 1050' on the western and 1525* on the eastern Pennine slopes. Seasonal surveys of two Goleophox^ populations are deecrihed. Heavy mortality was demonstrated in lie egg and early larval stages and also in the oveiwinterlng larval popi^atlon in the grorand litter. Some evidence for ccnipetition between early Instar Coleophora larvae Inside mature rush capsules is presented. It is suggested that competition at this stage would result in a degree of mortality dependent on the density of the initial laiTval population. The various mortality factors affecting different Coleouhora populations are discussed. The author wishes to express his thanks to Professor J.B. Cragg and Dr. L, Davies for their guidance and encouragement throughout the investigation and to Dr. D.A. Evans for advice on the statistical treatment of. some of the data. Thanks are also due to famers in the Moor House area for permission to work on their land and to Mr, D.V. Kelly for technical assistance. The work was carried out whilst in receipt of a Nature Conservancy Research Studentship, and thanks are also due -to the Nature Conservancy for the facilities provided at the Moor House field station.. CONTENTS. PAGE. I. INTRODUCTION. 1. II. LIFE HISTORY OP COLEOPHORA CAESPITITIELLA ZELL. 4. 1. Introduction. 4. 2. Ovum. 6. 3. Larva. 9. 4. Pupa, 24. 5. Imago. 24. 6. Parasites. 33. III. BEHAVIOUR OP C. CAESPITITIELLA ZELL. 38. 1. Pinal instar larva, 38. a. Introduction. 38. h. Larvae marked at station 1 of transect C. 40. c. Larvae marked at Moor House. 43. d. General conclusions. 44. 2. Imago. 50, IV. METHODS OP AHALYSING JUNCUS SQUARROSUS AND COLEOPHORA CAESPITITIELLA POPULATIONS. 53. 1, Sampling methods. 53. 2. Areas sampled. 53. V. STUDIES ON JUNCUS SQUARROSUS L. 57. 1, General distribution over the study area. 57. CONTENTS (contd.). PAGE. 2.0 Degree of fruiting in 1952, 1953 and 1954. 59. a. Introduction. 59. h. Western slopes of the northern Pennines. 60. c. Eastern slopes of the northern Pennines. 69. d. Differences apparent hetv/een the western and eastern Pennine slopes. 77, VI. THE DISTRIBUTION OP C. CAESPITITIELLA ZELL AND ITS PARASITES. ' 79. 1. Introduction. 79. 2. Western slopes of the northern Pennines. 80. a. Coleophora distrlhution. 80. h. The distrihution of Coleophora parasites, 93. 3. Eastern slopes of the northern Pennines. 98. a. Coleophora distrihution. 98. b. The distribution of Coleophora parasites, 105. 4. Differences apparent between the western and eastern Pennine slopes. 106. a. Coleophora distribution. 106. b. The distribution of Coleophora parasites. 108. 5. The relationship between seed-setting in 109, J. squarrosus and the distribution of C, caespitltlella, a. Introduction. 109. CONTENTS (contd,). PAGE. ID. Western slopes of tlie northern Pennines. 110, c. Eastern slopes of the northem Pennines. 115. 6, PossilDle factors limiting the size of Coleophora populations. 119. VII. SEASONAL SURVEYS OP CERTAIN C. CABSPITITTRT.T.A POPULATIONS. IB9. 1. Introduction. 129. 2. Sampling methods. 129. 3. Results. 132. a. Station 9, transect A, 132. h. Station 1, transect C. 135. 4. Conclusions. 140. VIII. SOIffi EVIDENCE FOR COI^PBTITION BETWEEN EARLY INSTAR COLEOPHORA LARVAE. 148. IX. DISCUSSION. 163. X. SUIMARY. 177. XI. REPERBNCBS. 183. APPENDIX I. Ripe seed production "by J. squarrosus 1952-4. APPENDIX II. Coleophora infestation of J. squarrosus 1952-4. APPENDIX III. Method employed in the estimation of standard errors STUDIES ON COLEOPHORA CAESPITITIELLA ;Zell. (Lap) ASSOCIATED WITH JUNCUS SQUARROSUS L. I. INTRODUCTION. This study was originally formulated with a view to obtaining certain inforraation regarding the 'community' of insects either feeding on,, or less intimately connected with, the moor rush, Juncus Squarrosus L. The Nature Reserve, Moor House MOor (N.R. 80), owned by the Nature Conservancy, was the area of moorland on which most of the field work was carried out. Certain material was also collected from areas of moorland adjoining the Nature Reserve, This investigation began in the summer of 1952 and the field work terminated in the autumn of 1954. The majority of the insect frequenters of the flowering or fruiting heads of Juncus squarrosus are chance visitors. Amongst these are the many Diptera, Jassidae and Cercopidae which are on the rush heads in dry spells in the summer. A somewhat closer association between the rush and nymphs of Aptinothrips rufus (Gmelin) (Thysanoptera) (det G.D. Morison), especially in the months of June and July, has been established. These nymphs occur, in considerable numbers, between the developing rush florets, under the bracts of an -1- , 1 c J".;;.' :m • \ , SECT'D*,, individual floret, or under the leaves sheathing the flowering stems, throughout the zone of the plants* distribution in the area studied - at heights varying from 650* to 2750* above sea level, J. squarrosus is not the only food source for A. rufus since specimens were also taken during June and July from the new seasons' growth of grasses occurring together with the rush, A specific relationship is, however, to be found between the rush and the moth Coleophora caesyititiella Zell. and it is an analysis of this relationship with which this thesis will be concerned. This moth, in the larval stage, feeds on the developing rush seeds. Information has been obtained regarding the insects' life history and various aspects of larval and adult behaviour, Coleophora populations have been investigated at various heights on both the eastern and western slopes of the Pennines, and for each site sampled information has also been obtained regarding the degree of development of the food-plant on the particular date of sampling, A previous examination of some aspects of this problem has been made by Pearsall (1950), and it was partly in response to some of the queries posed in this work that the present investigation was undertaken. These queries, together with some of the conclusions reached by Pearsall, will be discussed when we come to consider the information obtained on the rush and moth jpopulations in the Moor House area by the present author. II. LIFE HISTORY OF COLEOPHORA-CAESPITITIELLA Zell, 1, Introduction, Pearsall (1950) has pointed out that the life history of C, caespititiella is very imperfectly known, and indeed, apart from systeaatic works, literature on this species is very scarce. Descriptions of the various stages, and especially of the imago, are quite adequate, but works concerned with the duration of the various stages, and general biological information about them are very scanty. Of the more general systematic works, dealing largely with imagines, Meyrick (1928) and Pierce and Metcalfe (1935) may be mentioned. Amongst the earlier of the systeaatic works dealing more particularly with the Coleophoridae is Stainton (1859), which also includes some general notes regarding the mode of life of C. caespititiella in addition to descriptions of the various stages of the species, Barasch (1934) proposes a new system, based exclusively on the structui;e of the male genitalia, for dividing up the genus Coleophora, to replace the 60-^ealled Zeller-Heinemann system where the groups are characterised by the form of the antennae and the colour and markings of the fore-wings.