BioOne.org will be down briefly for maintenance on 12 February 2025 between 18:00-21:00 Pacific Time US. We apologize for any inconvenience.
How to translate text using browser tools
21 February 2018 Prey Foraging Under Sublethal Lambda-Cyhalothrin Exposure on Pyrethroid-Susceptible and -Resistant Lady Beetles (Eriopis connexa (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae))
V. A. D'Ávila, L. C. Reis, W. F. Barbosa, G. C. Cutler, J. B. Torres, R. N. C. Guedes
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Sublethal insecticide exposure may affect foraging of insects, including natural enemies, although the subject is usually neglected. The lady beetle Eriopis connexa (Germar, 1824) (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae) is an important predator of aphids with existing pyrethroid-resistant populations that are undergoing scrutiny for potential use in pest management systems characterized by frequent insecticide use. However, the potential effect of sublethal pyrethroid exposure on this predator's foraging activity has not yet been assessed and may compromise its use in biological control. Therefore, our objective was to assess the effect of sublethal lambda-cyhalothrin exposure on three components of the prey foraging activity (i.e., walking, and prey searching and handling), in both pyrethroid-susceptible and -resistant adults of E. connexa. Both lady beetle populations exhibited similar walking patterns without insecticide exposure in noncontaminated arenas, but in partially contaminated arenas walking differed between strains, such that the resistant insects exhibited greater walking activity. Behavioral avoidance expressed as repellence to lambda-cyhalothrin was not observed for either the susceptible or resistant populations of E. connexa, but the insecticide caused avoidance by means of inducing irritability in 40% of the individuals, irrespective of the strain. Insects remained in the insecticide-contaminated portion of the arena for extended periods resulting in greater exposure. Although lambda-cyhalothrin exposure did not affect prey searching by susceptible lady beetles, prey searching was extended for exposed resistant predators. In contrast, prey handling was not affected by population or by lambda-cyhalothrin exposure. Thus, sublethal exposure to the insecticide in conjunction with the insect resistance profile can affect prey foraging with pyrethroid-exposed resistant predators exhibiting longer prey searching time associated with higher walking activity reducing its predatory performance.

© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
V. A. D'Ávila, L. C. Reis, W. F. Barbosa, G. C. Cutler, J. B. Torres, and R. N. C. Guedes "Prey Foraging Under Sublethal Lambda-Cyhalothrin Exposure on Pyrethroid-Susceptible and -Resistant Lady Beetles (Eriopis connexa (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae))," Journal of Economic Entomology 111(3), 1042-1047, (21 February 2018). https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toy037
Received: 21 December 2017; Accepted: 25 January 2018; Published: 21 February 2018
JOURNAL ARTICLE
6 PAGES

This article is only available to subscribers.
It is not available for individual sale.
+ SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

KEYWORDS
biocontrol agent
biological control
insecticide resistance
sublethal effect
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top