Abstract
Oviposition site selection in ladybirds is a dynamic process influenced by a number of abiotic and biotic factors. In this study we investigated whether prey quantity and egg presence (varying in relatedness and age) influence oviposition behavior in the zigzag ladybird, Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius). Influence of these factors on cannibalism by females was also investigated and we tried to observe whether cannibalism was a modifying mechanism during oviposition site selection. Females were placed in prey abundant or scarce conditions in presence of related or unrelated eggs of varying ages, and their oviposition (for 24 h), egg viability and cannibalism were recorded. Prey-scarce conditions significantly decreased oviposition but had no influence on egg viability. Prey scarcity also increased the incidence of cannibalism by females. Females avoided laying eggs in the presence of related eggs regardless of their age. On the other hand, cannibalism was more in related eggs that were older in age. This increased cannibalism in presence of older related eggs, may be a comprehensive way of eliminating potential competition threats from a potential oviposition site already having eggs. All the independent factors (prey quantity, egg relatedness and egg age) did not affect egg viability, is the suggestive of male nutritional status rather than female.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agarwala BK, Dixon AFG (1992) Laboratory study of cannibalism and interspecific predation in ladybirds. Ecol Entomol 17:303–309
Agarwala BK, Dixon AFG (1993) Kin recognition: egg and larval cannibalism in Adalia bipunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Eur J Entomol 90:45–50
Agarwala BK, Bhattacharya S, Bardhanroy P (1998) Who eat whose eggs? Intra- versus inter-specific interaction in starving ladybird beetles predaceous on aphids. Ethol Ecol Evol 10:361–368
Banks CJ (1954) The searching behaviour of coccinellids larvae. British J Anim Behav 2:37–38
Banks CJ (1956) Observations on the behaviour and mortality in Coccinellidae before dispersal from egg-shells. Proc Royal Entomol Soc 31:56–60
Barbosa PRR, Oliveria MD, Giorgi JA, Silva-Torres CSA, Torres JB (2014) Predatory behavior and life history of Tenuisvalvae notata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) under variable prey availability conditions. Fla Entomol 97(3):1026–1034
Baur B (1992) Cannibalism in gastropod. Cannibalism: ecology and evolution among diverse taxa. (ed. by M.A. Elgar and B.J. Crespi), pp 102-127. Oxford University Press, Oxford
Bista M, Omkar (2013) Effects of body size and prey quality on the reproductive attributes of two aphidophagous Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) species. Can Entomol 145, 566–576
Boggs CL, Ross CL (1993) The effects of adult food limitations on life history traits in Spyeria mormonia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae). Ecology 74:433–441
Burgio G, Santi F, Maini S (2002) On intra-guild predation and cannibalism in Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) and Adalia bipunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Biol Control 24:110–116
Cope JM, Fox CW (2003) Oviposition decision in the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculates (Coleoptera: Bruchidae): effects of seed size on superparasitism. J Stored Prod Res 39:355–365
Cottrell TE (2005) Predation and cannibalism of lady beetle eggs by adult lady beetles. Biol Control 34:159–164
Dixon AFG (2000) Insect predator-prey dynamics: ladybird beetles and biological control. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Ferrer A, Dixon AFG, Gibernan G, Hemptinne JL (2010) Ovarian dynamics and specialisation in ladybirds. Ecol Entomol 35:100–103
Fox CW, Martin JD, Thakur MS, Mousseau TA (1996) Clutch size manipulation in two seed beetles consequences for progeny fitness. Oceologica 108:88–94
Frechette B, Coderre D (2000) Oviposition strategy of the green lacewing Chrysoperla rufilabris (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) in response to extraguild prey availability. Eur J Entomol 97:507–510
Fréchette B, Dixon AFG, Alauzet C, Boughenou N, Hemptinne JL (2006) Should aphidophagous ladybirds be reluctant to lay eggs in the presence of unsuitable prey? Entomol Exp Appl 118:121–127
Gibson RC, Buley KR (2004) Maternal care and obligatory oophagy in Leptodactylus fallax: a new reproductive mode in frogs. Copeia 2004:128–135
Hemptinne JL, Dixon AFG (1991) Why ladybirds have generally been so ineffective in biological control?, pp. 149-447. In: Polgar L, Chamber RJ, Dixon AFG, Hodek I (eds) Behavior and Impact of Aphidophaga. SPB academic publishing, the Hauge
Hemptinne JL, Doumbia M, Dixon AFG (2000a) Assessment of patch quality by ladybirds: role of aphid and plant phenology. J Insect Behav 13:353–359
Hemptinne JL, Lognay G, Gauthier C, Dixon AFG (2000b) Role of surface chemical signals in egg cannibalism and intraguild predation in ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Chemoecology 10:123–128
Hemptinne JL, Dixon AFG, Gauthier C (2000c) Nutritive cost of intraguild predation on eggs of Coccinella septempunctata and Adalia bipunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Eur J Entomol 97:559–562
Heying HE (2001) Social and reproductive behaviour in the Madagascan poison frog, Mantella laevigata, with comparisons to the dendrobatids. Anim Behav 61:567–577
Hodek I, Van Emden HF, Honek A (2012) Ecology and behavior of the ladybird beetles (Coccinellidae). A John Wiley and Sons, Ltd., Publication, U.K.
Joseph SB, Synder WE, Moore AJ (1999) Cannibalizing Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) larvae use endogenous cues to avoid eating relatives. J Evol Biol 12:792–797
Kajita Y, Evans EW (2009) Ovarian dynamics and oosorption in two species of predatory lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Physiol Entomol 34:185–194
Kam YC, Chen YH, Chen TC, Tsai IR (2000) Maternal brood care of an arboreal breeder, Chirixalus eiffingeri (Anura: Rhacophoridae) from Taiwan. Behaviour 137:137–151
Kawai A (1978) Sibling cannibalism in the first instar larvae of Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Kontyu 46:14–19
Kim KW, Horel A (2000) Matriphagy in the spider Amaurobius ferox (Araneidae, Amaurobiidae): an example of mother offspring interactions. Ethology 104:1021–1037
Kim KW, Roland C (2000) Trophic egg laying in the spider, Amaurobius ferox: mother-offspring interactions and functional value. Behav Process 50:31–42
Kudo SI, Nakahira T (2001) Trophic egg production and its function in a subsocial cydnid bug. Adv Ethol 3:197
Lemos WP, Medeiros RS, Ramalho FS, Zanuncio JC (2001) Effects of 384 plant feeding on the development, survival and reproduction of Podisus nigrispinus (Dallas) (Hetroptera: Pentatomidae). Int J Pest Manage 47:89–93
McKaye KR (1986) Trophic eggs and parental foraging for young by the catfish Bagrus meridionalis of Lake Malawi, Africa. Oecologia 69:367–369
Michaud JP (2002) Invasion of the Florida citrus ecosystem by Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and asymmetric competition with a native species, Cyclomeda sanguine. Environ Entomol 31:827–835
Michaud JP (2003) A comparative study of larval cannibalism in three species of ladybird. Ecol Entomol 28:92–101
Michaud JP, Grant AK (2004) Adaptive significance of sibling egg cannibalism in Coccinellidae: comparative evidence from three species. Ann Entomol Soc Am 97:710–719
Michaud J. P., Bista M., Mishra G. and Omkar (2013) Sexual activity diminishes male virility in two Coccinella species: consequences for female fertility and progeny development. Bull Entomol Res 103:570–577
Mishra G, Omkar (2006) Conspecific interference by adults in an aphidophagous ladybird Propylea dissecta (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) effects on reproduction. Bull Entomol Res 96:407–412
Mishra G, Singh N, Shahid M, Omkar (2012) Effect of presence and semiochemicals of conspecific stages on oviposition by ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Eur J Entomol 109:363–371
Mishra G, Singh N, Shahid M, Omkar (2013) The effects of three sympatric ladybird species on oviposition by Menochilus sexmaculatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Chemoecology 23:103–111
Oliver TH, Timms JEL, Taylor A, Leather SR (2006) Oviposition responses to patch quality in the larch ladybird Aphidecta obliterata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): effects of aphid density, and con- and heterospecific tracks. Bull Entomol Res 96:25–34
Omkar, Bind (2007) Reproductive behavior of generalist aphidophagous ladybird beetle Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Int J Trop Insect Sci 27:78–84
Omkar, Mishra G (2005) Preference-performance of a generalist predatory ladybird: A laboratory study. Biol Control 34:187–195
Omkar, Pervez A (2004) Predacious Coccinellids in India: predator-prey catalogue. Orient Insects 38:27–61
Omkar, Pervez A, Gupta AK (2004) Role of surface chemicals in egg cannibalism and intraguild predation by neonates of two aphidophagous ladybirds, Propyela dissecta and Coccinella transversalis. J Appl Entomol 128:691–695
Omkar, Pervez A, Gupta AK (2006) Why do neonates of aphidophagous ladybird beetles preferentially consume conspecific egg in presence of aphids. Biocontrol Sci Techn 16:233–243
Omkar, Sahu J, Kumar G (2010) Effect of prey quantity on reproductive and developmental attributes of a ladybird beetle, Anegleis cardoni. Int J Trop Insect Sci 30:48–56
Omkar, Kumar G, Sahu J (2009) Performance of a predatory ladybird beetle, Anegleis cardoni (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on three aphid species. Eur J Entomol 106:565–572
Osawa N (1992) Sibling cannibalism in the ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis fitness consequence for mother and offspring. Popul Ecol 34:45–55
Osawa N (2005) The effect of prey availability on ovarian development and oosorption in the ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera : Coccinellidae). Eur J Entomol 102:503–511
Papanikolaou NK, Milonas PG, Kontodimas DC, Dermiris N, Matsinos YG (2013) Temperature dependent development, survival, longevity, and fecundity of Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 106:228–234
Perry JC, Roitberg BD (2005) Ladybird mothers mitigate offspring starvation risk by laying trophic eggs. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 58:578–586
Pervez A, Gupta AK, Omkar (2005) Kin recognition and avoidance of kin cannibalism by the larvae of co-occurring ladybirds: a laboratory study. Eur J Entomol 102, 513–518
Pervez A, Gupta AK, Omkar (2006) Larval cannibalism in aphidophagous ladybirds: influencing factors, benefits and costs. Biol Control 38:307–313
Pervez A, Omkar, Richmond AS (2004) The influence of age on reproductive performance of a predatory ladybird beetle, Propylea dissecta. J Insect Sci 4:1–8
Roy HE, Rudge H, Goldrick L, Hawkins D (2007) Eat or be eaten: prevalence and impact of egg cannibalism on two-spot ladybirds, Adalia bipunctata. Entomol Exp Appl 125:33–38
Ruzicka Z (2006) Oviposition-deterring effects of conspecific and heterospecific larval tracks on Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae). Eur J Entomol 103:757–763
Santi F, Maini S (2007) Ladybirds mothers eating their eggs: is it cannibalism? B Insectol 60:89–91
Santos EA, Costa PMG, Torres JB, Silva-Torres CSA (2016) Use of prey and non-prey food by the ladybird beetle Eriopis connexa (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) under laboratory rearing conditions. Biocontrol Sci Techn 26 (9):1184–1196
Schellhorn NA, Andow DA (1999a) Cannibalism and interspecific predation: role of oviposition behavior. Ecol Appl 9:418–428
Schellhorn NA, Andow DA (1999b) Mortality of coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) larva and pupae when prey become scarce. Popul Ecol 28:1092–1100
Seagraves MP (2009) Lady beetle oviposition behavior in response to the trophic environment. Biol Control 51:313–322
Singh S, Mishra G, Omkar (2016) Perceived prey quantity modulates oviposition in the ladybird Menochilus sexmaculatus. J Ethol 34:59–64
Singh S, Mishra G, Omkar (2018) Plasticity in reproductive output and development in response to thermal variation in ladybird beetle, Menochilus sexmaculatus. J Therm Biol 71:180–188
Sloggett JJ, Majerus MEN (2000) Habitat preferences and diet in the predatory Coccinellidae (Coleoptera): an evolutionary perspective. Biol J Linn Soc 70:63–88
Snyder WE, Joseph SB, Preziosi RF, Moore AF (2000) Nutritional benefits of cannibalism for the lady beetle Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) when prey quality is poor. Environ Entomol 29:1173–1179
Takahashi K (1987) Cannibalism by the larvae of Coccinella septempunctata bruckii Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in mass rearing experiments. Jpn J Appl Entomol Z 31:201–205
Takahashi K (1989) Intra- and inter-specific predations by lady beetles in spring alfalfa fields. Jpn J Entomol 57:199–203
Tang L, Wu J, Ali S, Ren S (2013) The influence of different aphid prey species on the biology and life table parameters of Propylea japonica. Biocontrol Sci Techn 6:624–636
Timms JEL, Leather SR (2007) Ladybird egg cluster size: relationships between species, oviposition substrate and cannibalism. Bull Entomol Res 97:613–618
Wang S, Tan XL, Guo NJ, Zhang F (2013) Effect of temperature and photoperiod on the development, reproduction, and predation of predatory ladybird Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). J Econ Entomol 106:2621–2624
Xia JY, Werf WVD, Rabbinge R (1999) Temperature and prey density on bionomics of Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) feeding on Aphis gossypii (Homoptera: Aphididae) on cotton. Environ Entomol 28:307–314
Yasuda N, Ohnuma N (1999) Effect of cannibalism and predation on the larval performance of two ladybird beetles. Entomol Exp Appl 93:63–67
Yasuda N, Kikuchi T, Kindlmann P, Sato S (2001) Relationship between attack and escape rates, cannibalism and intraguild predation in larvae of two predatory ladybirds. J Insect Behav 14:373–384
Acknowledgements
Shashwat Singh is thankful to University Grants Commission, New Delhi, India for BSR fellowship. Other authors are thankful to the Department of Higher Education, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow, India for providing financial assistance under the Centre of Excellence programme.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Singh, S., Mishra, G. & Omkar Oviposition in aphidophagous ladybirds: effect of prey availability and conspecific egg presence. Int J Trop Insect Sci 39, 107–114 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-019-00006-9
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-019-00006-9