Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T10:13:24.889Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Ovipositional behaviour of Macrolophus caliginosus (Heteroptera: Miridae) on tobacco leaves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

A. Ferran*
Affiliation:
INRA, Laboratoire de Biologie des Invertébrés, Antibes, France
A. Rortais
Affiliation:
INRA, Laboratoire de Biologie des Invertébrés, Antibes, France
J.C. Malausa
Affiliation:
INRA, Laboratoire de Biologie des Invertébrés, Antibes, France
J. Gambier
Affiliation:
INRA, Laboratoire de Biologie des Invertébrés, Antibes, France
M. Lambin
Affiliation:
Centre de Recherche en Biologie du Comportement, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
*
Dr A. Ferran, INRA, Laboratoire de Biologie der Invertébrés, 37 Boulevard du Cap, 06600 Antibes, France.

Abstract

The ovipositional behaviour of the mirid predator Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner, a potential biological control agent of glasshouse pests, was studied in detail using a modified video camera technique. In the laboratory, females laid their eggs in the leaves of tobacco plants. They remained generally motionless on the main veins of the leaves, raised their body, folded the rostrum towards the thorax and extended their ovipositor when selecting a site in which to oviposit. The ovipositor was inserted into the plant tissue by a downward and forward thrust of the body and contractions of the abdominal muscles. After a period of immobility, the ovipositor was retracted and the insect's body and organs returned to their initial positions. This behaviour was preceded and followed by extensive rostral exploration of the oviposition site. In most females the same area was explored before and after egg-laying and the ovipositor was inserted approximately in the middle of the selected area. The sequence and pattern of ovipositional behaviour varied between females.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Carayon, J. (1986) Macrolophus caliginosus. Hémiptère Miridae, à reproduction hivernale. Entomologiste 42, 133141.Google Scholar
Cobben, R.H. (1968) Evolutionary trends in Heteroptera. Part I: Eggs, architecture of the shell, gross embryology and eclosion. Centre for Agricultural Publishing and Documentation, Wageningen Annual Report, pp. 475.Google Scholar
Debolt, J.W. & Patana, R. (1985) Handbook of insect rearing 1, 329338.Google Scholar
Fauvel, G., Malausa, J.C. & Kaspar, B. (1987) Etude enlaboratoire des principales caractéristiques biologiques de Macrolophus caliginosus (Heteroptera, Miridae). Entomophaga 32, 529543.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grenier, S., Guillaud, J., Delobel, B. & Bonnot, G. (1989) Nutrition et élevage du prédateur polyphage Macrolophus caliginosus (Heteroptera, Miridae) sur milieux artificiels. Entomophaga 34, 7786.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Malausa, J.C. (1987) Sur l'utilisation des Mirides prédateurs(Hétéroptères) dans la lutte biologique contre les ravageurs des cultures sous serre. pp. 6366in Cavallero, R. & Pelerents, C. (Eds) Integrated pest management in protected vegetable crops. Proceedings of the CEC/IOBC Expert's Group Meeting.Google Scholar
Malausa, J.C. (1989) Les punaises prédatrices mirides dans lescultures de Solanacées du Sud-est de la France. Revue Horticole 298, 3943.Google Scholar
Malausa, J.C. & Drescher, J. (1995) La phytophagie chez lesmirides prédateurs (Heteroptera): Evaluation des risques d'apparition des dégâts sur la tomate. in Cavallero, R. & Onillon, J.C. (Eds) Practical application of integrated control in protected crops. Proceedings of the CEC/IOBC Expert's Group Meeting (in press).Google Scholar
Malausa, J.C., Drescher, J. & Franco, E. (1987) Perspectives for the use of a predaceous bug Macrolophus caliginosus Wagner (Heteroptera, Miridae) on glasshouse crops. Bulletin OILB/SROP 10, 106107.Google Scholar
Miles, P.W. (1958) Contact chemoreception in some Heteroptera including chemoreception internal to the stylet food canal. Journal of Insect Physiology 2, 333347.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Patana, R. (1982) Disposal diet packet for feeding and ovipositionof Lygus hespertus (Hemiptera, Miridae). Journal of Economic Entomology 75, 668669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snodgrass, G.L. & McWilliam, R. (1992) Rearing the tarnished plant bug (Heteroptera, Miridae) using a tissue paper oviposition site. Journal of Economic Entomology 85, 11621166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar