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Influence of diet and photoperiod on development and reproduction of European populations of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

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Abstract

The current study examines the effect of photoperiod (16:08 or 12:12 h L:D) and diet (eggs of Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Phycitidae) or the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)) on the development and reproduction of the multicoloured Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). A long-term laboratory population of H. axyridis (since 1998) and a melanic and non-melanic population originating from field collected individuals of H. axyridis in Belgium were used in this study. Long day conditions (16 h photoperiod) shortened development of the field populations with 2–3 days when compared with short day conditions (12 h photoperiod). Oviposition in the field populations was delayed by 1–3 months when reared at a 12 h photoperiod. Dissections indicated that the females were in reproductive diapause. As compared with live pea aphids, a diet consisting of E. kuehniella eggs yielded heavier adult body weights (up to 12%) and increased the number of egg laying days (by 45–169%) for both field populations at a 16 h photoperiod and lengthened adult life span (by 45–92%) under both light regimens. The morph types differed in their response to the foods offered in terms of developmental rate, pre-oviposition period and number of oviposition days. The laboratory and field strains responded differentially to regimens of food and photoperiod. The study indicated a greater nutritional plasticity of the non-melanic morphs which may offer them a competitive advantage that may in part explain the predominance of non-melanic morphs in newly colonized areas.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. Jonathan G. Lundgren for his valuable comments on a first draft of this paper. This study was funded by grant number 53215 from the Institute for the Promotion of Innovation by Science and Technology in Flanders (IWT). Bea Roos is thanked for excellent technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Agrozoology, Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000, Ghent, Belgium

    Nick Berkvens, Jochem Bonte, Luc Tirry & Patrick De Clercq

  2. Department of Animal Health, Prince Leopold Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium

    Dirk Berkvens

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  1. Nick Berkvens
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  2. Jochem Bonte
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  3. Dirk Berkvens
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  4. Luc Tirry
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  5. Patrick De Clercq
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Correspondence to Nick Berkvens.

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Berkvens, N., Bonte, J., Berkvens, D. et al. Influence of diet and photoperiod on development and reproduction of European populations of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). BioControl 53, 211–221 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-007-9130-0

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