Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T00:45:02.949Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Feeding and foraging behaviour of a generalist caterpillar: are third instars just bigger versions of firsts?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 February 2007

M.-L. Johnson  and
M.P. Zalucki
M.-L. Johnson
Affiliation:
Queensland Department of Primary Industries, School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Brisbane, Australia
M.P. Zalucki*
Affiliation:
School of Integrative Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, 4072 Brisbane, Australia
*
*Fax: 0011 7 33651655 E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Similarities and differences in foraging behaviour between first and third instar Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek (Fabaceae) (mung bean) were determined by frequent, repeated observation of insects on whole plants. The time apportioned to feeding, resting and searching by these two larval instars differed. Third instars were often found feeding on exposed areas of the plant and, if in the terminal parts, would leave these areas more frequently than first instars. Third instars fed at fewer sites and spent less time searching and resting, fed in longer bouts and spent 20% more time feeding than first instars. Although both instars tended to move upwards to the top of the plant, this applied to approximately half of the third instars observed compared to all of the first instars. First instars were found to have a higher relative growth rate than third instars. The results show that it cannot be assumed that first instars are just smaller versions of late instars.

Keywords

Helicoverpa armigeraLepidopteraheliothisbehaviourforaginginsect movementfirst instarneonate feeding efficiency
Type
Research Article
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 97 , Issue 1 , February 2007 , pp. 81 - 88
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

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

Abbott, K.L. & Fitt, G.P. (1998) Distribution of Helicoverpa (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs and larvae in INGARD and Conventional cotton: implications for sampling techniques. pp. 319–324 in Proceedings of the Ninth Australian Cotton Conference, Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Australia.Google Scholar
Barton Browne, L. & Raubenheimer, D. (2003) Ontogenetic changes in the rate of ingestion and estimates of food consumption in fourth and fifth instar Helicoverpa armigera caterpillars. Journal of Insect Physiology 49, 63–71.Google Scholar
Benedict, J.H., Altman, D.W., Umbeck, P.F. & Ring, D.R. (1992a) Behaviour, growth, survival, and plant injury by Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on transgenic Bt cottons. Journal of Economic Entomology 85, 589–593.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benedict, J.H., Treacy, M.F., Ring, D.R. & Yencho, G.C. (1992b) Behaviour of pyrethroid-susceptible and -resistant Heliothis virescens (F.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae on cotton treated with insecticides. Journal of Economic Entomology 85, 2058–2063.Google Scholar
Bernays, E.A. (1991) Evolution of insect morphology in relation to plants. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B 333, 257–264.Google Scholar
Bernays, E.A. (1997) Feeding by caterpillars is dangerous. Ecological Entomology 22, 121–123.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bernays, E.A. & Janzen, D.H. (1988) Saturniid and sphingid caterpillars: two ways to eat leaves. Ecology 69, 1153–1160.Google Scholar
Clarke, A.R. & Zalucki, M.P. (2000) Foraging and sabotaging behaviour of Euploea core corinna (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) caterpillars. Australian Journal of Entomology 39, 283–290.Google Scholar
Coll, M. & Bottrell, D.G. (1991) Microhabitat and resource selection of the European corn borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and its natural enemies in Maryland (USA) field corn. Environmental Entomology 20, 526–533.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Common, I.F.B. (1990) Moths of Australia. Carlton, Victoria, Melbourne University Press.Google Scholar
Dussourd, D.E. (1993) Foraging with finesse: caterpillar adaptations for circumventing plant defenses. pp. 92–131in Stamp, N.E. & Casey, T. (Eds) Ecological and evolutionary constraints on caterpillars. New York, Chapman and Hall.Google Scholar
Eigenbrode, S.D., Stoner, K.A., Shelton, A.M. & Kain, W.C. (1991) Characteristics of glossy leaf waxes associated with resistance to diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) in Brassica oleracea. Journal of Economic Entomology 84, 1609–1618.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Feichtinger, V.E. & Reavey, D. (1989) Changes in movement, tying and feeding patterns as caterpillars grow: the case of the yellow horned moth. Ecological Entomology 14, 471–474.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frelichowski, J.E. Jr. & Juvik, J.A. (2001) Sequiterpene carboxylic acids from a wild tomato species affect larval feeding behaviour and survival of Helicoverpa zea and Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Ecological Entomology 94, 1249–1259.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gaston, K.J., Reavey, D. & Valladares, G.R. (1991) Changes in feeding habit as caterpillars grow. Ecological Entomology 16, 339–344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilbert, N., Gutierrez, A.P., Frazer, B.D. & Jones, R.E. (1976) Ecological relationships. W. H. Freeman and Company.Google Scholar
Hassan, S.T. (1983) Distribution of Heliothis armiger (Hübner) and Heliothis punctigera Wallengren (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs and larvae, and insecticide spray droplets on cotton plants. PhD thesis, University of Queensland, Australia.Google Scholar
Heinrich, B. (1993) How avian predators constrain caterpillar foraging. pp. 224–247in Stamp, N.E. & Casey, T. (Eds) Ecological and evolutionary constraints on caterpillars. New York, Chapman and Hall.Google Scholar
Herbet, P.D.N. (1983) Egg dispersal patterns and adult feeding behaviour in the Lepidoptera. Canadian Entomologist 115, 1477–1481.Google Scholar
Hopper, K.R. & King, E.G. (1984) Feeding and movement on cotton of Heliothis species (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) parasitized by Microplitis croceipes (Hymenoptera: Bracondiae). Environmental Entomology 13, 1654–1600.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Inbar, M., Doostdar, H., Leibee, G.L. & Mayer, R.T. (1999) The role of plant rapidly induced responses in asymmetric interspecific interactions among insect herbivores. Journal of Chemical Ecology 25, 1961–1979.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Isaacs, R. & Vander Werp, M. (2006) Host penetration behavior of neonate grape berry moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), and its disruption by reduced-risk insecticides. Journal of Economic Entomology (in press).Google Scholar
Johnson, M.-L. & Zalucki, M.P. (2005) Foraging behaviour of Helicoverpa armigera first instar larvae on crop plants of different developmental stages. Journal of Applied Entomology 129, 239–245.Google Scholar
Jyoti, J.L., Young, S.Y., Johnson, D.T. & McNew, R.W. (1999) Tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): larval location and mortality on Bacillus thuringiensis-treated cotton. Journal of Entomological Science 34, 426–434.Google Scholar
Kantiki, L.M. & Ampofo, J.K.O. (1989) Larval establishment and feeding behaviour of Eldana saccharina Walker (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on maize and sorghum plants. Insect Science and Its Application 10, 577–582.Google Scholar
Kogan, M. & Cope, D. (1974) Feeding and nutrition of insects associated with soybeans. 3. Food intake, utilization, and growth in the soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 67, 66–72.Google Scholar
Kumar, H. (1992) Oviposition, larval arrest and establishment of Chilo partellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) on maize genotypes during anthesis. Bulletin of Entomological Research 82, 355–360.Google Scholar
Manners, A. (2001) Foraging behaviour and movement patterns of first instar Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae on cotton. Honours thesis, University of Queensland, Australia.Google Scholar
Neussly, G.S. & Sterling, W.L. (1994) Mortality of Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs in cotton as a function of oviposition sites, predator species, and desiccation. Environmental Entomology 23, 1189–1202.Google Scholar
Pitre, H.N. (1983) Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) egg hatch and neonate larval activity on cotton terminals. Journal of the Georgia Entomological Society 18, 168–175.Google Scholar
Room, P.M. (1983) Calculations of temperature-driven development by Heliothis spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in the Namoi Valley, New South Wales. Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 22, 211–215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmidt, K.M., Benedict, J.H. & Walmsley, M.H. (1988) Behavioral responses (time budgets) of bollworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae for three cotton cultivars. Environmental Entomology 17, 350–353.Google Scholar
Scriber, J.M. & Slansky, F.J. (1981) The nutritional ecology of immature insects. Annual Review of Entomology 26, 183–211.Google Scholar
Stamp, N.E. (1980) Egg deposition patterns in butterflies: why do some species cluster their eggs rather than deposit them singly? American Naturalist 115, 367–380.Google Scholar
Stamp, N.E. & Bowers, M.D. (2000) Foraging behavior of caterpillars given a choice of plant genotypes in the presence of insect predators. Ecological Entomology 25, 486–492.Google Scholar
Titmarsh, I.J. (1992) Mortality of immature Lepidoptera. PhD thesis, University of Queensland, Australia.Google Scholar
Treacy, M.F., Benedict, J.H., Schmidt, K.M., Anderson, R.M. & Wagner, T.L. (1987) Behaviour and spatial distribution patterns of tobacco budworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) larvae on chlordimeform-treated cotton plants. Journal of Economic Entomology 80, 1149–1151.Google Scholar
Twine, P.H. (1978) Variation in the number of larval instars of Heliothis armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Journal of the Australian Entomological Society 17, 298–292.Google Scholar
Van Dam, N.M., Hermenau, U. & Baldwin, I.T. (2001) Instar-specific sensitivity of specialist Manduca sexta larvae to induced defences in their host plant Nicotiana attenuata. Ecological Entomology 26, 578–586.Google Scholar
Wilson, L.T. & Waite, G.K. (1982) Feeding pattern of Australian Heliothis in cotton. Environmental Entomology 11, 297–300.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, L.T., Gutierrez, A.P. & Leigh, T.F. (1980) Within-plant distribution of the immatures of Heliothis zea (Boddie) on cotton. Hilgardia 48, 12–23.Google Scholar
Zalucki, M.P. & Brower, L.P. (1992) Survival of first instar larvae of Danaus plexippus (Lepidoptera: Danainae) in relation to cardiac glycoside and latex content of Asclepias humistrata (Asclepiadaceae). Chemoecology 3, 81–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zalucki, M.P., Daglish, G., Firempong, S. & Twine, P. (1986) The biology and ecology of Heliothis armigera (Hübner) and H. punctigera Wallengren (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Australia: what do we know? Australian Journal of Zoology 34, 779–814.Google Scholar
Zalucki, M.P., Murray, D.A.H., Gregg, P.C., Fitt, G.P., Twine, P.H. & Jones, C. (1994) Ecology of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) and H. punctigera (Wallengren) in the Inland of Australia: larval sampling and host plant relationships during winter and spring. Australian Journal of Zoology 42, 329–346.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zalucki, M.P., Clark, A.R. & Malcolm, S.B. (2002) Ecology and behaviour of first instar larval Lepidoptera. Annual Review of Entomology 47, 361–393.Google Scholar