Skip to main content

Larval feeding behaviour affects the impact of staminate flower production on the suitability of balsam fir trees for spruce budworm

Oecologia volume 105, pages 126–131 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

Laboratory rearing of spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, in conjunction with field rearing indicated that the feeding behaviour of the larvae, which is affected by the insect population density, significantly influenced the impact of balsam fir, Abies balsamea, staminate flowering on spruce budworm biology. At low budworm density, the production of pollen in the midcrown of host trees reduced the insect development time by 5 days without affecting pupal weight, fecundity and survival. However, at high budworm density, the small amount of current-year foliage produced by flowering branches forced old larvae (sixth instar) either to feed on 1-year-old foliage (backfeeding) or to move from the midcrown to the lower crown section where staminate flowers are absent and more current-year foliage is available. When old larvae fed on old foliage, they exhibited reduced pupal weight and fecundity without losing the advange in development time that they obtained from feeding on pollen during their early stages of development. On the other hand, when old larvae moved to the lower crown section, they avoided the negative effects of backfeeding but lost the advantage in development time that was gained from feeding on pollen. Results from this study indicated that the production of staminate flowers by balsam fir trees could have opposite effects on spruce budworm population dynamics depending upon the insect population density when flowering occurs.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

43,34 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

References

  • Albert PJ, Bauce E (1994) Feeding preferences of fourth- and sixth-instar spruce budworm (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) larvae for foliage extracts from young and old balsam fir hosts. Environ Entomol 23:645–653

    Google Scholar 

  • Arthur AP, Bauer DJ (1981) Evidence of the northerly dispersal of the sunflower moth by warm winds. Environ Entomol 10:523–528

    Google Scholar 

  • Batzer HO, Jennings DT (1980) Numerical analysis of a jack pine budworm outbreak in various densities of jack pine. Environ Entomol 9:514–524

    Google Scholar 

  • Bauce É (1986) Etude des variations de teneur en fibre brute du feuillage de sapin baumier, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill., induites par différents facteurs de stress et leurs implications sur la tordeuse des bourgeons de l'épinette, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.). M.Sc. thesis, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, Québec, Canada

  • Bauce É, Crépin M, Carisey N (1994) Spruce budworm growth, development and food utilization on young and old balsam fir trees. Oecologia 97:499–507

    Google Scholar 

  • Bidon Y (1993) Influence des sucres solubles et de l'azote sur la croissance, le développement et l'utilisation de la nourriture par la tordeuse des bourgeons de l'épinette, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), M.Sc. thesis, Université Laval, Ste-Foy, Québec, Canada

  • Blais JR (1952) The relationship of the spruce budworm to the flowering condition of balsam fir. Can J Zool 30:1–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Bélanger L, Ducruc JP, Pincau M (1983) Analyses et commentaires. Proposition d'une méthodologie d'inventaire écologique adaptée au territoire forestier périurbain. Nat Can 110:459–476

    Google Scholar 

  • Delisle J, McNeil JN, Underhill EW, Barton D (1989) Helianthus annuus pollen, an oviposition stimulant for the sunflower moth, Homoeosoma electellum, Entomol Exp Appl 50:53–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards PJ, Wratten SD, Parker L (1992) The ecological significance of rapid wound-induced changes in plants: insect grazing and plant competition. Oecologia 91:266–272

    Google Scholar 

  • Graham SA (1935) The spruce budworm on Michigan pine (School of Forest Convervation bulletin No 6). University of Michigan, East Lansing, MI

    Google Scholar 

  • Grandtner MM (1966) La végétation forestière du Québec méridional. Université Laval, Ste-Foy, Québec, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • Grenbank DO (1963) Staminate flowers and the spruce budworm. Mem Entomol Soc Can 31:202–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopkins CY, Jevans AW, Boch R (1969) Occurence of octadecatrans-2, cis-9, cis-12-trieoic acid in pollen attractive to honey bee. Can J Biochem 4:433–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Jaynes HA, Speers CF (1949) Biological and ecological studies of spruce budworm. J Econ Entomol 42:221–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Lejeune RR (1950) The effect of jack pine staminate flowers on the size of larvae of the jack pine budworm. Can Entomol 82:34–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Lejeune RR, Black WF (1950) Populations of larvae of the jack pine budworm. For Chron 26:152–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Loader C, Damman H (1991) Nitrogen content of food plants and vulnerability of Pieris rapae to natural enemies. Ecology 72, 1586–1590

    Google Scholar 

  • Loper GM, Standifer LN, Thompson MJ, Gilliam M (1980) Biochemistry and microbiology of bee-collected almont (Prunus dulcis) pollen and bee bread. Apidologie 11:63–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattson WJ, Haack RA, Lawrence RK, Slocum SS (1991) Considering the nutritional ecology of spruce budworm in its management. For Ecol Manage 39:183–210

    Google Scholar 

  • McNeil JN, Delisle J (1989) Host plant pollen influences calling behavior and ovarian development of the sunflower moth, Homoeosoma electellum, Oecologia 80:201–205

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabie AL, Well JD, Dent LK (1983) The nitrogen content of pollen protein. J Apicult Res 22:119–123

    Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (1988) SAS user's guide; statistics. SAS Institute Inc, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Slansky F Jr (1990) Insect nutritional ecology as a basis for studying host plant resistance. FL Entomol 73:360–378

    Google Scholar 

  • Tevlon DAJ, Penman DR (1991) Effect of temperature and diet on oviposition rate and development time of the New Zealand flower thrips, Thrips obscuratus, Entomol Exp Appl 60: 143–155

    Google Scholar 

  • Volney WJA (1988) Analysis of historic jack pine budworm in the Prairie provinces of Canada. Can J For Res 18:1152–1158

    Google Scholar 

  • Wellington WG (1950) Effects of radiation on the temperatures of insectan habitats. Sci Agric 30:209–234

    Google Scholar 

  • Weseloh RM, Andreadis TG (1982) Possible mechanism for synergism between Bacillus thuringiensis and the gypsy moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) parasitoid, Apenteles melanoscelus (Hymenoptera: Braconidae). Ann Entomol Soc Am 75: 435–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Weseloh RM, Andreadis TG, Moore REB, Anderson JF (1983) Field confirmation of a mechanism causing synergism between Bacillus thuringiensis and the gypsy moth parasitoid, Apenteles melanoscelus. J Invert Pathol 41:99–103

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Affiliations

  1. Centre de Recherche en Biologie Forestière, Université Laval, G1K 7P4, Sainte-Foy, Québec, Canada

    Éric Bauce & Nathalie Carisey

Authors
  1. Éric Bauce
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nathalie Carisey
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Éric Bauce.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Bauce, É., Carisey, N. Larval feeding behaviour affects the impact of staminate flower production on the suitability of balsam fir trees for spruce budworm. Oecologia 105, 126–131 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328800

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00328800

Key words

  • Choristoneura fumiferana
  • Staminate flowers
  • Feeding behaviour
  • Pollen
  • Abies balsamea