PerspectiveComparison of the life tables and predation rates of Harmonia dimidiata (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) fed on Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) at different temperatures
Graphical abstract
An accurate description of the survival, development, and predation capacity of a predator can be achieved using the age-stage, two-sex life table.
Highlights
► We studied the life history and predation of Harmonia dimidiata (F.) at different temperatures. ► We analyzed the raw data by using the age-stage, two-sex life table. ► We compared the jackknife and bootstrap techniques. ► We suggest that the jackknife technique should not be used for the estimation of R0. ► We use the finite predation rate for the comparison of predation potential.
Introduction
The melon aphid (Aphis gossypii Glover) is a global insect pest with a wide range of host plants, including the 84 species in 34 families that have been recorded in Taiwan (Tao, 1990). Infection by aphids causes the stunting or death of crops due to the sucking of sap, the secretion of honeydew that acts as a sooty mold medium, and the transmission of viral plant diseases (Chang et al., 1987, Escriu et al., 2000, Gildow et al., 2008).
According to Tao (1990), 34 arthropod species that are natural enemies of the melon aphid have been recorded in Taiwan. Among these, 17 species are ladybird beetles, with Harmonia dimidiata (F.) being a common example. Kuznetsov and Pang (2002) reported a daily predation rate of more than 200 A. gossypii for H. dimidiata (F.). They also observed that H. dimidiata (F.) can be kept in a refrigerator at 15 °C for 4 months without aphids and that approximately 90% of this population could survive on a 10% honey solution. H. dimidiata’s high voraciousness and ability to survive at low temperatures may make them a useful natural enemy for the purposes of biological control.
To successfully mass rear predatory natural enemies for biological control, it is necessary to determine their population characteristics, including growth rate, stage differentiation, fecundity, and predation rate. The key components for this type of evaluation are life table studies and assessments of predation rate. Only a life table can provide a comprehensive description of the species’ development, survival, and fecundity. A proper assessment of predation potential should include the evaluation of a life table. For most insects, the developmental rates vary among individuals and between the sexes (Istock, 1981, Chi and Liu, 1985, Carey, 1993). Chi and Liu, 1985, Chi, 1988 noted that neglecting the variable developmental rate and the male population may cause errors in calculating the age-specific survival rate and, consequently, result in errors in assessing the demographic parameters. Chi and Liu, 1985, Chi, 1988 developed an age-stage, two-sex life table that takes stage differentiation and the male population into consideration. The age-stage, two-sex life table has been used to describe the population characteristics of many insect and mite species under the influence of a variety of physical conditions.
The influence of a key abiotic external factor, temperature, on insect development has been studied extensively. Improving our knowledge of the effects of temperature on insect development will be helpful in the mass rearing of insects and their application as natural predators of pests. Previous works (Kuznetsov and Pang, 2002, Agarwala et al., 2009) have indicated that in terms of developmental time, fecundity, and functional response, the most favorable temperature for culturing H. dimidiata on A. gossypii is 20–25 °C. However, there is a lack of experimental life table data regarding the effects of temperature. In the present study, data regarding the life histories and predation rates of H. dimidiata fed on A. gossypii at different constant temperatures will be collected and analyzed based on an age-stage, two-sex life table that considers the variations in development and the predation rates among individuals and between the sexes. For the comparison of predators, we will use the finite predation rate to compare the predation potential of predators living under different conditions.
Section snippets
Aphid and ladybird beetle cultures
Melon aphids (A. gossypii) were mass cultured as the prey of H. dimidiata for more than 10 years, following the method of Yu and Chen (2001). The muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.), variety Autumn Favor (Known-You Seed Co., Ltd., Taiwan) was cultivated as the host plant for the rearing of A. gossypii. Pots of muskmelon were placed in a net case (60 × 90 × 90 cm3), for the maintenance of an aphid stock in the laboratory, and in a rearing cage (60 × 90 × 180 cm3), for the mass production of aphids in a greenhouse.
Age-stage, two-sex life table
Because H. dimidiata did not lay any eggs at 30 °C, only the data from the 15, 20, and 25 °C growth chambers are reported here. Out of the cohorts of 100 eggs of H. dimidiata collected at the beginning of the life table study, 87, 87, and 71 eggs hatched successfully at 15, 20, and 25 °C, respectively. The means of the developmental periods for each preadult stage, the longevity of the adults, and the female fecundity of H. dimidiata are given in Table 1. The longest preadult developmental period
Age-stage, two-sex life table
The durations of all preadult stages exhibit a temperature-dependent trend: shorter developmental durations observed at higher temperatures. Our results are similar to the results of Kuznetsov and Pang, 2002, Gillani et al., 2007. In our study, the male adults were longer-lived compared to the mean longevity of female adults (Table 1). Our results indicate shorter life spans than the 81.0 d for females and 73.0 d for males of H. dimidiata fed on Brevicoryne brassicae at 25 ± 2 °C reported by Gillani
Conclusion
Although Hassell (1978) has already noted the importance of knowing a predator’s stage-specific predation rates and life tables for the proper modeling of predator–prey dynamics a few decades ago, most biological control and pest management programs do not yet use this valuable life table tool. In this study, we demonstrate that an accurate description of the survival, development, and predation capacity of a predator can be achieved with the age-stage, two-sex life table.
Acknowledgments
We thank Cecil L. Smith for generously helping with editing. We thank Ms. Wun and Ms. Yeh for their assistance with the experiments, especially the mass culture of all insects and host plants. This research was partially supported by Grants to Hsin Chi from the National Science Council (NSC 98-2313-B-005-020-MY3).
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