Biology and Behaviour of New Zealand Ladybirds

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Biology and Behaviour of New Zealand Ladybirds Biology and behaviour of New Zealand ladybirds What factors affect the successful establishment of introduced species? Our understanding of establishment processes is limited and concentrated on mean trait differences. However, recent research suggests that high levels of variation in functionally important traits facilitate establishment success. Ladybirds are generalist predators that serve as an excellent model system to study establishment success as they are widely introduced as biocontrol agents against agricultural pests. In my PhD, I examined the phenotypic (morphological, behavioural and physiological) variation and phylogenetic relationships between introduced and native ladybirds in New Zealand. Contrasting the differences between successfully established introduced species and native species in recipient ecosystems provides insights about the mechanisms that drive establishment success and a foundation for future research into introduction biology. Firstly, I developed a framework to study establishment processes using ladybirds as a model system. I identified fundamental gaps in research into unsuccessful species introductions, dispersal abilities and the quantification of both inter- and intraspecific variation in ladybirds. This provided the conceptual foundation for my subsequent research comparing inter- and intraspecific variation in the morphology, behaviour and physiology of New Zealand ladybirds. Morphologically, I found that introduced ladybirds had wider bodies than native ladybirds. Further, introduced species had greater intraspecific variation in size than native species. Introduced ladybirds with wide bodies and high intraspecific variation may have a larger prey range compared to native ladybirds, thereby increasing the probability of successful establishment. Behaviourally, I found differences between species in their general activity levels and responses to simulated predator attacks but there was no difference between species in their intraspecific variation. Physiologically, there was inter- and intraspecific variation in survival during desiccation resistance assays. Overall, body size appears to influence traits associated with establishment success. There was a strong positive correlation between body size and general activity i Biology and behaviour of New Zealand ladybirds levels and survival time during desiccation resistance assays in each species. I found that the widely dispersed introduced ladybird Halmus chalybeus had significantly higher levels of intraspecific variation in size and colour compared to other species of ladybirds. This suggests that high intraspecific variation may indeed increase establishment success and dispersal. Finally, the molecular phylogeny I constructed strongly supported the monophyly of Coccinellidae and subfamilies Microweiseinae and Coccinellinae and moderately supported the monophyly of tribe Epilachnini and paraphyletic tribes Coccinellini, Scymnini, Chilocorini and Coccidulini. However, there was no indication that the successful establishment of introduced species of ladybirds increases with relatedness to native species in New Zealand. This is the first study to compare phenotypic variation between introduced and native ladybirds in New Zealand and the first molecular phylogeny to include native species of New Zealand ladybirds. My thesis presents indirect support for the hypothesis that high levels of intraspecific variation increase establishment success in introduced species. I propose that assessing phenotypic variation in introduced species is key to understanding establishment processes and thereby improving the effectiveness of biocontrol and conservation programmes. ii Biology and behaviour of New Zealand ladybirds I would like to express my deepest appreciation to many wonderful people who made my PhD journey special and memorable. Firstly, I am extremely grateful for my amazing panel of supervisors. My principal supervisor Dr Anne Wignall has always been such an inspiration to me. From the day I first arrived in New Zealand she has always been there for me and guided me within and beyond the academic environment. I am immensely thankful for her help with my fieldwork as well. Dr Anne Wignall has always encouraged and motivated me to become a better scientist and researcher every day. I am extremely blessed to have been guided and mentored by Dr Anne Wignall and couldn’t have imagined having a better mentor for my PhD. I am also extremely thankful to all my co-supervisors, Dr Richard Leschen for his kind words of encouragement, motivation and for providing me with valuable feedback throughout my PhD. I greatly value your help with species identification and I enjoyed extremely the time I worked with you at Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research. I would also like to thank Prof. James Dale for his guidance and continuous support over the past four years. I am extremely thankful for your guidance and insightful comments throughout my PhD. My sincere gratitude goes to Prof Dianne Brunton and Dr Luis Ortiz-Catedral for providing kind and encouraging feedback as my advisory committee at the confirmation seminar. A special thank you to Dr Aaron Harmer and Dr Daniel Thomas for their support during behavioural experiments to understand the use of the ‘PathtrackR’ library. I am also extremely thankful to Dr Libby Liggins for her guidance during phylogenetic data analysis. Attending the Molecular Ecology conference and Ira-Moana workshop was immensely helpful for me. I am extremely thankful to Dr Nikki Freed for her support during the desiccation resistance experiment to use the incubator in her lab. I am extremely grateful for the staff at the EcoGene lab at Manaaki Whenua; Talia Brav-Cubitt for guiding, training and assisting the sequencing process, Dr Robin Howitt and Duckchul Park for providing feedback and offering advice and guidance iii Biology and behaviour of New Zealand ladybirds when needed. Dr Thomas Buckley provided advice and support throughout the process. I also thank Grace Hall and Birgit Rhode for their assistance in the imaging and specimen access in the New Zealand Arthropod Collection (NZAC). I thank Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research for allowing me to use specimens from the NZAC. My gratitude goes to all the funding sources including, the School of Natural and Computational Sciences - Massey University, Royal Society Te Apārangi and the Entomological Society of New Zealand for providing financial support for my PhD. I am extremely thankful for all my field buddies, Jin Choy, Nishadi Anuruddika, Jessica Patino Perez, Hoin An, Odette Howarth and Jessica Hiscox for their assistance in the field collecting ladybirds. I am also thankful for Hayden Pye and Charley Kho for their assistance in scoring images of ladybirds. I would like to thank Dr Asha Chaggan and Dr Gonzalo Avila from Plant and Food Research and Dr Darren Ward from Manaaki Whenua (Landcare Research), for meeting with me to educate me about the ongoing research of ladybirds in New Zealand. I would like to thank Alan Finn (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research) for sharing his expertise and experience with ladybirds and sharing his masters degree thesis with me for reference. I am also thankful for Dr Nicholas Martin (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research) for his insights into fieldwork and finding ladybirds at different stages of my PhD. My sincere appreciation to all the technical and administration staff including Annette Warbrook, Linh Mills, Cynthia Sim, Sue Di Leo, Mike Yep and Anil Malhotra for their assistance throughout my PhD. My sincere gratitude goes to all my past teachers and lecturers, especially to Dr Chandima Dangalle and Prof Thirimanna from University of Colombo, Sri Lanka for their words of encouragement. I am extremely grateful to all my wonderful PhD friends, Abigail Kuranchie, Akshya Ilangovan, Enzo Rodriguez-Reyes, Jessica Patino Perez, Mehrnaz Tavasoli, Michelle Roper, Simone Giovanardi and Wesley Webb for their constructive feedback, encouraging conversations and kind words of advice throughout my PhD. iv Biology and behaviour of New Zealand ladybirds I feel blessed to have all my friends and family in Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Australia for their love, support and encouragement. I am forever grateful to my mother, for your endless sacrifices, guidance and eternal love you gave me and wherever you are I feel your blessings every day, to my father, for always providing me with what I ask for and more, encouraging me and for teaching me how to accept challenges with a smile on my face and to my little brother for always being there for me. A huge thank you for my aunt Anoma and uncle Ajith for your constant love, care and guidance throughout my whole life. I thank my friends who have become my family in New Zealand, Nishadi, Vishan, Neranjala, Roshan, Pamiru, Mindi, Ravindu, Sampath, Chathurani, Nipuni, Waruna and Indika. I also thank Gayani and Ruwanthi for always putting a smile on my face. I thank my dearest friend Anurika, for our encouraging and joyful conversations and my sweetest nieces, nephews and my cousins who entertain me from 7000 miles away and finally my ever-loving boyfriend Kasun for your love and patience throughout this incredible journey. I thank all of you from the bottom of my heart, I am forever grateful! v Biology and behaviour of New Zealand ladybirds vi Biology and behaviour of New Zealand ladybirds Thesis abstract .......................................................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • Ladybirds, Ladybird Beetles, Lady Beetles, Ladybugs of Florida, Coleoptera: Coccinellidae1
    Archival copy: for current recommendations see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu or your local extension office. EENY-170 Ladybirds, Ladybird beetles, Lady Beetles, Ladybugs of Florida, Coleoptera: Coccinellidae1 J. H. Frank R. F. Mizell, III2 Introduction Ladybird is a name that has been used in England for more than 600 years for the European beetle Coccinella septempunctata. As knowledge about insects increased, the name became extended to all its relatives, members of the beetle family Coccinellidae. Of course these insects are not birds, but butterflies are not flies, nor are dragonflies, stoneflies, mayflies, and fireflies, which all are true common names in folklore, not invented names. The lady for whom they were named was "the Virgin Mary," and common names in other European languages have the same association (the German name Marienkafer translates Figure 1. Adult Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, the to "Marybeetle" or ladybeetle). Prose and poetry sevenspotted lady beetle. Credits: James Castner, University of Florida mention ladybird, perhaps the most familiar in English being the children's rhyme: Now, the word ladybird applies to a whole Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, family of beetles, Coccinellidae or ladybirds, not just Your house is on fire, your children all gone... Coccinella septempunctata. We can but hope that newspaper writers will desist from generalizing them In the USA, the name ladybird was popularly all as "the ladybird" and thus deluding the public into americanized to ladybug, although these insects are believing that there is only one species. There are beetles (Coleoptera), not bugs (Hemiptera). many species of ladybirds, just as there are of birds, and the word "variety" (frequently use by newspaper 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Cambridge University Press 978-1-107-11607-8 — a Natural History of Ladybird Beetles M. E. N. Majerus , Executive Editor H. E. Roy , P
    Cambridge University Press 978-1-107-11607-8 — A Natural History of Ladybird Beetles M. E. N. Majerus , Executive Editor H. E. Roy , P. M. J. Brown Index More Information Index 2-isopropyl-3-methoxy-pyrazine, 238 281, 283, 285, 287–9, 291–5, 297–8, 2-phenylethylamine, 237 301–3, 311, 314, 316, 319, 325, 327, 329, 335 abdomen, 17, 20, 22, 24, 28–9, 32, 38, 42, 110, Adalia 4-spilota,80 114, 125, 128, 172, 186, 189, 209–10, Adalia conglomerata, 255 218 adaline, 108, 237, 241 Acacia, 197, 199 adalinine, 237 acaricides, 316 adelgids, 29, 49, 62, 65, 86, 91, 176, 199, 308, Acaridae, 217 310, 322 Acarina, 205, 217 Adonia, 44, 71 Acer pseudoplatanus, 50, 68, 121 aggregations, 163, 165, 168, 170, 178, 184, Acraea, 228, 297, 302 221, 312, 324 Acraea encedana, 302 Aiolocaria, 78, 93, 133, 276 Acraea encedon, 297, 302 Aiolocaria hexaspilota,78 Acyrthosiphon nipponicum, 101 Aiolocaria mirabilis, 133, 276 Acyrthosiphon pisum, 75, 77, 90, 92, 97–101, albino, 273 116, 239 Alces alces,94 Adalia, 5–6, 10, 22, 34, 44, 64, 70, 78, 80, 86, Aleyrodidae, 91, 310 123, 125, 128, 130, 132, 140, 143, 147, alfalfa, 119, 308, 316, 319, 325 159–60, 166–7, 171, 180–1, 218, 222, alimentary canal, 29, 35, 221 234, 237, 239, 241, 255, 259–60, 262, alkaloids, x, 99–100, 195–7, 202, 236–9, 241–2, 269, 279, 281, 284, 286, 298, 311, 325, 245–6 327, 335 Allantonematidae, 220 Adalia 10-punctata, 22, 70, 80, 86, 98–100, anal cremaster, 38, 40 104, 108, 116, 132, 146–7, 149, Anatis, 4, 17, 23, 41, 44, 66, 76, 89, 102, 131, 154, 156, 160, 174, 181–3, 188, 148, 165, 186, 191, 193,
    [Show full text]
  • Classical Biological Control of Arthropods in Australia
    Classical Biological Contents Control of Arthropods Arthropod index in Australia General index List of targets D.F. Waterhouse D.P.A. Sands CSIRo Entomology Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research Canberra 2001 Back Forward Contents Arthropod index General index List of targets The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) was established in June 1982 by an Act of the Australian Parliament. Its primary mandate is to help identify agricultural problems in developing countries and to commission collaborative research between Australian and developing country researchers in fields where Australia has special competence. Where trade names are used this constitutes neither endorsement of nor discrimination against any product by the Centre. ACIAR MONOGRAPH SERIES This peer-reviewed series contains the results of original research supported by ACIAR, or material deemed relevant to ACIAR’s research objectives. The series is distributed internationally, with an emphasis on the Third World. © Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, GPO Box 1571, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia Waterhouse, D.F. and Sands, D.P.A. 2001. Classical biological control of arthropods in Australia. ACIAR Monograph No. 77, 560 pages. ISBN 0 642 45709 3 (print) ISBN 0 642 45710 7 (electronic) Published in association with CSIRO Entomology (Canberra) and CSIRO Publishing (Melbourne) Scientific editing by Dr Mary Webb, Arawang Editorial, Canberra Design and typesetting by ClarusDesign, Canberra Printed by Brown Prior Anderson, Melbourne Cover: An ichneumonid parasitoid Megarhyssa nortoni ovipositing on a larva of sirex wood wasp, Sirex noctilio. Back Forward Contents Arthropod index General index Foreword List of targets WHEN THE CSIR Division of Economic Entomology, now Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Entomology, was established in 1928, classical biological control was given as one of its core activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Local and Regional Influences on Arthropod Community
    LOCAL AND REGIONAL INFLUENCES ON ARTHROPOD COMMUNITY STRUCTURE AND SPECIES COMPOSITION ON METROSIDEROS POLYMORPHA IN THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ZOOLOGY (ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGy) AUGUST 2004 By Daniel S. Gruner Dissertation Committee: Andrew D. Taylor, Chairperson John J. Ewel David Foote Leonard H. Freed Robert A. Kinzie Daniel Blaine © Copyright 2004 by Daniel Stephen Gruner All Rights Reserved. 111 DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to all the Hawaiian arthropods who gave their lives for the advancement ofscience and conservation. IV ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Fellowship support was provided through the Science to Achieve Results program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and training grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the National Science Foundation (DGE-9355055 & DUE-9979656) to the Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology (EECB) Program of the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. I was also supported by research assistantships through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (A.D. Taylor) and the Water Resources Research Center (RA. Kay). I am grateful for scholarships from the Watson T. Yoshimoto Foundation and the ARCS Foundation, and research grants from the EECB Program, Sigma Xi, the Hawai'i Audubon Society, the David and Lucille Packard Foundation (through the Secretariat for Conservation Biology), and the NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant program (DEB-0073055). The Environmental Leadership Program provided important training, funds, and community, and I am fortunate to be involved with this network.
    [Show full text]
  • Anet Newsletter 8
    30 APRIL 2006 No. 8 ANeT Newsletter International Network for the Study of Asian Ants / DIWPA Network for Social Insect Collections / DIVERSITAS in West Pacific and Asia Proceedings of Committee Meeting of 5th ANeT Workshop Minutes prepared by: Prof. Datin Dr. Maryati Mohamed Institute for Tropical Biology & Conservation Universiti Malaysia Sabah, MALAYSIA Place and Date of the Committee Meeting Committee meeting of 5th ANeT Workshop was held on 30th November 2005 at the National Museum, Kuala Lumpur. The meeting started at 12.30 with a discussion on the draft of Action Plan tabled by Dr. John Fellowes and meeting then chaired by Prof. Maryati Mohamed at 1.00 pm. Meeting adjourned at 3.00 p.m. Members Attending Prof. Maryati Mohamed, the President of ANeT (Malaysia) Prof. Seiki Yamane (Japan) Prof. Kazuo Ogata (Japan) Dr. Rudy Kohout (Australia) Dr. John R. Fellowes (Hong Kong/UK) Mr. Suputa (Indonesia) Dr. Yoshiaki Hashimoto (Japan) Dr. Decha Wiwatwitaya (Thailand) Dr. Bui Tuan Viet (Vietnam) Dr. Himender Bharti (India) Dr. Sriyani Dias (Sri Lanka) Mr. Bakhtiar Effendi Yahya, the Secretariat of ANeT (Japan) Ms. Petherine Jimbau, the Secretariat of ANeT (Malaysia) Agenda Agreed 1. Discussion on Proposal on Action Plan as tabled by Dr. John Fellowes 2. Proceedings/Journal 3. Next meeting - 6th ANeT Seminar and Meeting (date and venue) 4. New members and structure of committee membership 5. Any other business ANeT Newsletter No. 8. 30 April 2006 Agenda Item 1: Discussion on Proposal on Action Plan as tabled by Dr. John Fellowes Draft of Proposal was distributed. During the discussion no amendments were proposed to the draft Action Plan objectives.
    [Show full text]
  • Insects, Beetles, Bugs and Slugs of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve
    Insects, beetles, bugs and slugs of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve Compiled by: Michael Fox www.megoutlook.org/flora-fauna/ © 2015-20 Creative Commons – free use with attribution to Mt Gravatt Environment Group Ants Dolichoderinae Iridomyrmex sp. Small Meat Ant Attendant “Kropotkin” ants with caterpillar of Imperial Hairstreak butterfly. Ants provide protection in return for sugary fluids secreted by the caterpillar. Note the strong jaws. These ants don’t sting but can give a powerful bite. Kropotkin is a reference to Russian biologist Peter Kropotkin who proposed a concept of evolution based on “mutual aid” helping species from ants to higher mammals survive. 4-Nov-20 Insects Beetles and Bugs - ver 5.9.docx Page 1 of 59 Mt Gravatt Environment Group – www.megoutlook.wordpress.com Insects, beetles, bugs and slugs of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve Formicinae Opisthopsis rufithorax Black-headed Strobe Ant Formicinae Camponotus consobrinus Banded Sugar Ant Size 10mm Eggs in rotting log 4-Nov-20 Insects Beetles and Bugs - ver 5.9.docx Page 2 of 59 Mt Gravatt Environment Group – www.megoutlook.wordpress.com Insects, beetles, bugs and slugs of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve Formicinae Camponotus nigriceps Black-headed Sugar Ant 4-Nov-20 Insects Beetles and Bugs - ver 5.9.docx Page 3 of 59 Mt Gravatt Environment Group – www.megoutlook.wordpress.com Insects, beetles, bugs and slugs of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve Formicinae Polyrhachis ammon Golden-tailed Spiny Ant Large spines at rear of thorax Nest 4-Nov-20 Insects Beetles and Bugs - ver 5.9.docx Page 4 of 59 Mt Gravatt Environment Group – www.megoutlook.wordpress.com Insects, beetles, bugs and slugs of Mt Gravatt Conservation Reserve Formicinae Polyrhachis australis Rattle Ant Black Weaver Ant or Dome-backed Spiny Ant Feeding on sugar secretions produced by Redgum Lerp Psyllid.
    [Show full text]
  • COLEOPTERA COCCINELLIDAE) INTRODUCTIONS and ESTABLISHMENTS in HAWAII: 1885 to 2015
    AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST OF THE COCCINELLID (COLEOPTERA COCCINELLIDAE) INTRODUCTIONS AND ESTABLISHMENTS IN HAWAII: 1885 to 2015 JOHN R. LEEPER PO Box 13086 Las Cruces, NM USA, 88013 [email protected] [1] Abstract. Blackburn & Sharp (1885: 146 & 147) described the first coccinellids found in Hawaii. The first documented introduction and successful establishment was of Rodolia cardinalis from Australia in 1890 (Swezey, 1923b: 300). This paper documents 167 coccinellid species as having been introduced to the Hawaiian Islands with forty-six (46) species considered established based on unpublished Hawaii State Department of Agriculture records and literature published in Hawaii. The paper also provides nomenclatural and taxonomic changes that have occurred in the Hawaiian records through time. INTRODUCTION The Coccinellidae comprise a large family in the Coleoptera with about 490 genera and 4200 species (Sasaji, 1971). The majority of coccinellid species introduced into Hawaii are predacious on insects and/or mites. Exceptions to this are two mycophagous coccinellids, Calvia decimguttata (Linnaeus) and Psyllobora vigintimaculata (Say). Of these, only P. vigintimaculata (Say) appears to be established, see discussion associated with that species’ listing. The members of the phytophagous subfamily Epilachninae are pests themselves and, to date, are not known to be established in Hawaii. None of the Coccinellidae in Hawaii are thought to be either endemic or indigenous. All have been either accidentally or purposely introduced. Three species, Scymnus discendens (= Diomus debilis LeConte), Scymnus ocellatus (=Scymnobius galapagoensis (Waterhouse)) and Scymnus vividus (= Scymnus (Pullus) loewii Mulsant) were described by Sharp (Blackburn & Sharp, 1885: 146 & 147) from specimens collected in the islands. There are, however, no records of introduction for these species prior to Sharp’s descriptions.
    [Show full text]
  • Larvae of the Green Lacewing Mallada Desjardinsi (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) Protect Themselves Against Aphid-Tending Ants by Carrying Dead Aphids on Their Backs
    Appl Entomol Zool (2011) 46:407–413 DOI 10.1007/s13355-011-0053-y ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER Larvae of the green lacewing Mallada desjardinsi (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) protect themselves against aphid-tending ants by carrying dead aphids on their backs Masayuki Hayashi • Masashi Nomura Received: 6 March 2011 / Accepted: 11 May 2011 / Published online: 28 May 2011 Ó The Japanese Society of Applied Entomology and Zoology 2011 Abstract Larvae of the green lacewing Mallada desj- Introduction ardinsi Navas are known to place dead aphids on their backs. To clarify the protective role of the carried dead Many ants tend myrmecophilous homopterans such as aphids against ants and the advantages of carrying them for aphids and scale insects, and utilize the secreted honeydew lacewing larvae on ant-tended aphid colonies, we carried as a sugar resource; in return, the homopterans receive out some laboratory experiments. In experiments that beneficial services from the tending ants (Way 1963; Breton exposed lacewing larvae to ants, approximately 40% of the and Addicott 1992; Nielsen et al. 2010). These mutualistic larvae without dead aphids were killed by ants, whereas no interactions between ants and homopterans reduce the larvae carrying dead aphids were killed. The presence of survival and abundance of other arthropods, including the dead aphids did not affect the attack frequency of the non-honeydew-producing herbivores and other predators ants. When we introduced the lacewing larvae onto plants (Bristow 1984; Buckley 1987; Suzuki et al. 2004; Kaplan colonized by ant-tended aphids, larvae with dead aphids and Eubanks 2005), because the tending ants become more stayed for longer on the plants and preyed on more aphids aggressive and attack arthropods that they encounter on than larvae without dead aphids.
    [Show full text]
  • The Coccinellids (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae) Fauna in Manduwala Region, Dehradun, India
    J. Exp. Zool. India Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 177-183, 2018 www.connectjournals.com/jez ISSN 0972-0030 THE COCCINELLIDS (COLEOPTERA:COCCINELLIDAE) FAUNA IN MANDUWALA REGION, DEHRADUN, INDIA Dinesh Kumar Bhardwaj and Jyoti Falswal Department of Zoology, Dolphin (P.G.) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, India. (Accepted 17 October 2017) ABSTRACT : The latitude of Manduwala in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India is 30.321915, and the longitude is 78.026619. Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India is located at India Country. These beetles are useful because of their predaceous Nature. The specimens of this research were collected by hand picking. These are of small size and easy to capture by hand. Killing Jar is a device used by entomologists to kill captured insects quickly and with minimum damage. The Jar, typically glass, must be hermetically sealable and one design has a thin layer of hardened plaster of paris on the bottom to absorb the killing agent. The killing agent will then slowly evaporate, allowing the jar to be used many times before needing to refresh the jar. A second method utilizes a wad of cotton placed in the bottom of jar. Liquid killing agent is then added until the absorbent material is nearly saturated. The most common killing agent is Chloroform and ethyl acetate. The species belong the family Coccinellidae; Sub family- Coccinellinae, the total of 9 species, Coccinella quinquepunctata, Coccinella hieroglyphica, Coccinella transversalis, Harmonia dimidiata, Coccinella leonine, Harmonia conformis, Coccinella septempunctata, Hippodamia veriegata, Halmus chalybeus was identified. Coccinellids are the most important and powerful predators of hemipteran pests including, aphids, mealybugs, scale insects and whiteflies.
    [Show full text]
  • Managing Weta Damage to Vines Through an Understanding of Their Food, Habitat Preferences, and the Policy Environment
    Lincoln University Digital Thesis Copyright Statement The digital copy of this thesis is protected by the Copyright Act 1994 (New Zealand). This thesis may be consulted by you, provided you comply with the provisions of the Act and the following conditions of use: you will use the copy only for the purposes of research or private study you will recognise the author's right to be identified as the author of the thesis and due acknowledgement will be made to the author where appropriate you will obtain the author's permission before publishing any material from the thesis. Managing weta damage to vines through an understanding of their food, habitat preferences, and the policy environment A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Applied Science at Lincoln University by Michael John Smith Lincoln University 2014 Abstract of a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Applied Science. Abstract Managing weta damage to vines through an understanding of their food, habitat preferences, and the policy environment by Michael John Smith Insects cause major crop losses in New Zealand horticulture production, through either direct plant damage or by vectoring disease Pugh (2013). As a result, they are one of the greatest risks to NZ producing high quality horticulture crops (Gurnsey et al. 2005). The main method employed to reduce pest damage in NZ horticulture crops is the application of synthetic pesticides (Gurnsey et al. 2005). However, there are a number of negative consequences associated with pesticide use, including non–target animal death (Casida & Quistad 1998) and customer dissatisfaction.
    [Show full text]
  • Coccinellidae)
    ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOUR OF THE LADYBIRD BEETLES (COCCINELLIDAE) Edited by I. Hodek, H.E van Emden and A. Honek ©WILEY-BLACKWELL A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publication CONTENTS Detailed contents, ix 8. NATURAL ENEMIES OF LADYBIRD BEETLES, 375 Contributors, xvii Piotr Ccryngier. Helen E. Roy and Remy L. Poland Preface, xviii 9. COCCINELLIDS AND [ntroduction, xix SEMIOCHEMICALS, 444 ]an Pettcrsson Taxonomic glossary, xx 10. QUANTIFYING THE IMPACT OF 1. PHYLOGENY AND CLASSIFICATION, 1 COCCINELLIDS ON THEIR PREY, 465 Oldrich Nedved and Ivo Kovdf /. P. Mid'laud and James D. Harwood 2. GENETIC STUDIES, 13 11. COCCINELLIDS IN BIOLOGICAL John J. Sloggett and Alois Honek CONTROL, 488 /. P. Midland 3. LIFE HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT, 54 12. RECENT PROGRESS AND POSSIBLE Oldrkli Nedved and Alois Honek FUTURE TRENDS IN THE STUDY OF COCCINELLIDAE, 520 4. DISTRIBUTION AND HABITATS, 110 Helmut /; van Emden and Ivo Hodek Alois Honek Appendix: List of Genera in Tribes and Subfamilies, 526 5. FOOD RELATIONSHIPS, 141 Ivo Hodek and Edward W. Evans Oldrich Nedved and Ivo Kovdf Subject index. 532 6. DIAPAUSE/DORMANCY, 275 Ivo Hodek Colour plate pages fall between pp. 250 and pp. 251 7. INTRAGUILD INTERACTIONS, 343 Eric Lucas VII DETAILED CONTENTS Contributors, xvii 1.4.9 Coccidulinae. 8 1.4.10 Scymninae. 9 Preface, xviii 1.5 Future Perspectives, 10 References. 10 Introduction, xix Taxonomic glossary, xx 2. GENETIC STUDIES, 13 John J. Sloggett and Alois Honek 1. PHYLOGENY AND CLASSIFICATION, 1 2.1 Introduction, 14 Oldrich Nedved and Ivo Kovdf 2.2 Genome Size. 14 1.1 Position of the Family. 2 2.3 Chromosomes and Cytology.
    [Show full text]
  • ARTHROPODA Subphylum Hexapoda Protura, Springtails, Diplura, and Insects
    NINE Phylum ARTHROPODA SUBPHYLUM HEXAPODA Protura, springtails, Diplura, and insects ROD P. MACFARLANE, PETER A. MADDISON, IAN G. ANDREW, JOCELYN A. BERRY, PETER M. JOHNS, ROBERT J. B. HOARE, MARIE-CLAUDE LARIVIÈRE, PENELOPE GREENSLADE, ROSA C. HENDERSON, COURTenaY N. SMITHERS, RicarDO L. PALMA, JOHN B. WARD, ROBERT L. C. PILGRIM, DaVID R. TOWNS, IAN McLELLAN, DAVID A. J. TEULON, TERRY R. HITCHINGS, VICTOR F. EASTOP, NICHOLAS A. MARTIN, MURRAY J. FLETCHER, MARLON A. W. STUFKENS, PAMELA J. DALE, Daniel BURCKHARDT, THOMAS R. BUCKLEY, STEVEN A. TREWICK defining feature of the Hexapoda, as the name suggests, is six legs. Also, the body comprises a head, thorax, and abdomen. The number A of abdominal segments varies, however; there are only six in the Collembola (springtails), 9–12 in the Protura, and 10 in the Diplura, whereas in all other hexapods there are strictly 11. Insects are now regarded as comprising only those hexapods with 11 abdominal segments. Whereas crustaceans are the dominant group of arthropods in the sea, hexapods prevail on land, in numbers and biomass. Altogether, the Hexapoda constitutes the most diverse group of animals – the estimated number of described species worldwide is just over 900,000, with the beetles (order Coleoptera) comprising more than a third of these. Today, the Hexapoda is considered to contain four classes – the Insecta, and the Protura, Collembola, and Diplura. The latter three classes were formerly allied with the insect orders Archaeognatha (jumping bristletails) and Thysanura (silverfish) as the insect subclass Apterygota (‘wingless’). The Apterygota is now regarded as an artificial assemblage (Bitsch & Bitsch 2000).
    [Show full text]