47 results on '"*DEW"'
Search Results
2. Neonicotinoids in excretion product of phloem-feeding insects kill beneficial insects.
- Author
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Calvo-Agudo, Miguel, González-Cabrera, Joel, Picó, Yolanda, Calatayud-Vernich, Pau, Urbaneja, Alberto, Dicke, Marcel, and Tena, Alejandro
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NEONICOTINOIDS , *ENVIRONMENTAL risk assessment , *INSECTS , *PEST control , *IMIDACLOPRID - Abstract
Pest control in agriculture is mainly based on the application of insecticides, which may impact nontarget beneficial organisms leading to undesirable ecological effects. Neonicotinoids are among the most widely used insecticides. However, they have important negative side effects, especially for pollinators and other beneficial insects feeding on nectar. Here, we identify a more accessible exposure route: Neonicotinoids reach and kill beneficial insects that feed on the most abundant carbohydrate source for insects in agroecosystems, honeydew. Honeydew is the excretion product of phloem-feeding hemipteran insects such as aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, and psyllids. We allowed parasitic wasps and pollinating hoverflies to feed on honeydew from hemipterans feeding on trees treated with thiamethoxam or imidacloprid, the most commonly used neonicotinoids. LC-MS/MS analyses demonstrated that both neonicotinoids were present in honeydew. Honeydew with thiamethoxam was highly toxic to both species of beneficial insects, and honeydew with imidacloprid was moderately toxic to hoverflies. Collectively, our data provide strong evidence for honeydew as a route of insecticide exposure that may cause acute or chronic deleterious effects on nontarget organisms. This route should be considered in future environmental risk assessments of neonicotinoid applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
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3. Landscape-level bird loss increases the prevalence of honeydew-producing insects and non-native ants.
- Author
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Freedman, Micah G., Miller, Ross H., and Rogers, Haldre S.
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BIRD declines , *POPULATION biology , *BIRD population estimates , *HONEYDEW , *INSECTS , *BROWN tree snake - Abstract
Bird exclusion experiments consistently show that birds exhibit strong top-down control of arthropods, including ants and the honeydew-producing insects (HPIs) that they tend. However, it remains unclear whether the results of these small-scale bird exclosure experiments can be extrapolated to larger spatial scales. In this study, we use a natural bird removal experiment to compare the prevalence of ants and HPIs between Guam, an island whose bird community has been extirpated since the 1980s due to the introduction of the brown tree snake, and two nearby islands (Rota and Saipan) that have more intact bird assemblages. Consistent with smaller-scale bird exclosure experiments, we show that (1) forest trees from Guam are significantly more likely to host HPIs than trees from Saipan and (2) ants are nearly four times as abundant on Guam than on both Saipan and Rota. The prevalence of HPIs varied slightly based on tree species identity, although these effects were not as strong as island-level effects associated with bird loss. Ant community composition differed between Guam and the other two islands. These results corroborate past observational studies showing increased spider densities on Guam and suggest that trophic changes associated with landscape-level bird extirpation may also involve alterations in the abundance of ants and HPIs. This study also provides a clear example of the strong indirect effects that invasive species can have on natural food webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
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4. Development and testing of a standardized method to estimate honeydew production.
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Moir, Melinda L., Renton, Michael, Hoffmann, Benjamin D., Leng, Mei Chen, and Lach, Lori
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HONEYDEW , *HEMIPTERA , *MUTUALISM (Biology) , *FOOD chains , *INSECT behavior - Abstract
Honeydew production by Hemiptera is an ecologically important process that facilitates mutualisms and increases nutrient cycling. Accurate estimates of the amount of honeydew available in a system are essential for quantifying food web dynamics, energy flow, and the potential growth of sooty mould that inhibits plant growth. Despite the importance of honeydew, there is no standardized method to estimate its production when intensive laboratory testing is not feasible. We developed two new models to predict honeydew production, one based on insect body mass and taxonomic family, and one based on body mass and life stage. We tested the accuracy of both models’ predictions for a diverse range of honeydew-producing hemipteran families (Aphididae, Pseudococcidae, Coccidae, Psyllidae, Aleyrodidae, Delphacidae, Cicadellidae). The method based on body mass and family provided more accurate estimates of honeydew production, due to large variation in honeydew production among families. We apply our methodology to a case study, the recalculation of honeydew available to invasive red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) in the United States. We find that the amount of honeydew may be an order of magnitude lower than that previously estimated (2.16 versus 21.6 grams of honeydew per day) and discuss possible reasons for the difference. We anticipate that being able to estimate honeydew production based on minimal biological information will have applications to agriculture, invasion biology, forestry, and carbon farming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
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5. A Look into the Cell: Honey Storage in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera.
- Author
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Eyer, Michael, Neumann, Peter, and Dietemann, Vincent
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HONEYBEES , *CARBOHYDRATES , *HONEYDEW , *NECTAR , *WORKER insects - Abstract
Honey bees, Apis species, obtain carbohydrates from nectar and honeydew. These resources are ripened into honey in wax cells that are capped for long-term storage. These stores are used to overcome dearth periods when foraging is not possible. Despite the economic and ecological importance of honey, little is known about the processes of its production by workers. Here, we monitored the usage of storage cells and the ripening process of honey in free-flying A. mellifera colonies. We provided the colonies with solutions of different sugar concentrations to reflect the natural influx of nectar with varying quality. Since the amount of carbohydrates in a solution affects its density, we used computer tomography to measure the sugar concentration of cell content over time. The data show the occurrence of two cohorts of cells with different provisioning and ripening dynamics. The relocation of the content of many cells before final storage was part of the ripening process, because sugar concentration of the content removed was lower than that of content deposited. The results confirm the mixing of solutions of different concentrations in cells and show that honey is an inhomogeneous matrix. The last stage of ripening occurred when cell capping had already started, indicating a race against water absorption. The storage and ripening processes as well as resource use were context dependent because their dynamics changed with sugar concentration of the food. Our results support hypotheses regarding honey production proposed in earlier studies and provide new insights into the mechanisms involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2016
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6. Volatiles of bacteria associated with parasitoid habitats elicit distinct olfactory responses in an aphid parasitoid and its hyperparasitoid
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Tom Wenseleers, Jetske G. de Boer, Christophe Vanderaa, Kevin J. Verstrepen, Bart Lievens, Tim Goelen, Felix L. Wäckers, Islam S. Sobhy, Frank Delvigne, Hans Jacquemyn, Hans Rediers, Frédéric Francis, and Terrestrial Ecology (TE)
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0106 biological sciences ,Bladluizen ,INSECTS ,ATTRACTION ,microbial odour ,Insect ,Reuk ,Q1 ,01 natural sciences ,Parasitoid ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Linalool ,Semiochemical ,media_common ,Aphid ,Ecology ,biology ,GUT MICROBIOTA ,Sluipwespen ,chemical communication ,R735 ,Aphididae ,semiochemical ,Plan_S-Compliant_NO ,Attraction ,OVIPOSITION ,international ,Life Sciences & Biomedicine ,Honeydew ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Dendrocerus aphidum ,Duurzame gewasbescherming ,Environmental Sciences & Ecology ,multitrophic interactions ,010603 evolutionary biology ,BACKGROUND ODOR ,Botany ,Aphidius colemani ,PHEROMONE ,FORAGING BEHAVIOR ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Science & Technology ,IDENTIFICATION ,fungi ,VOCs ,biology.organism_classification ,R1 ,chemistry ,INDUCED PLANT VOLATILES ,natural enemy ,INFOCHEMICAL USE ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
To locate mating partners and essential resources such as food, oviposition sites and shelter, insects rely to a large extent on chemical cues. While most research has focused on cues derived from plants and insects, there is mounting evidence that indicates that micro‐organisms emit volatile compounds that may play an important role in insect behaviour. In this study, we assessed how volatile compounds emitted by phylogenetically diverse bacteria affected the olfactory response of the primary parasitoid Aphidius colemani and one of its secondary parasitoids, Dendrocerus aphidum. Olfactory responses were evaluated for volatile blends emitted by bacteria isolated from diverse sources from the parasitoid's habitat, including aphids, aphid mummies and honeydew, and from the parasitoids themselves. Results revealed that A. colemani showed a wide variation in response to bacterial volatiles, ranging from significant attraction over no response to significant repellence. Our results further showed that the olfactory response of A. colemani to bacterial volatile emissions was different from that of D. aphidum. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis of the volatile blends revealed that bacterial strains repellent to A. colemani produced significantly higher amounts of esters, organic acids, aromatics and cycloalkanes than attractive strains. Strains repellent to D. aphidum produced significantly higher amounts of alcohols and ketones, whereas the strains attractive to D. aphidum produced higher amounts of the monoterpenes limonene, linalool and geraniol. Overall, our results indicate that bacterial volatiles can have an important impact on insect olfactory responses, and should therefore be considered as an additional, so far often overlooked factor in studying multitrophic interactions between plants and insects. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article. ispartof: FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY vol:34 issue:2 pages:507-520 status: published
- Published
- 2020
7. Ants impact the energy reserves of natural enemies through the shared honeydew exploitation.
- Author
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CALABUIG, ALTEA, TENA, ALEJANDRO, WÄCKERS, FELIX L., FERNÁNDEZ‐ARROJO, LUCIA, PLOU, FRANCISCO J., GARCIA‐MARÍ, FERRAN, and PEKAS, APOSTOLOS
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APHYTIS , *CHRYSOPERLA carnea , *HONEYDEW , *INSECT feeding & feeds , *COMPETITION (Biology) , *PREDATION , *INSECTS - Abstract
1. Ants, as well as many species of parasitoids and predators, rely on sugar-rich foods such as honeydew to fulfill their energetic needs. Thus, ants and natural enemies may interact through the shared honeydew exploitation. 2. Ant-exclusion experiments were performed in a citrus orchard to test the hypothesis that ants may impact the energy reserves of predators and parasitoids through the competition for honeydew. Through the use of high-performance liquid chromatography ( HPLC) the level of ant activity with the energy reserves and feeding history of individual specimens collected in the field during representative days of spring, summer, and autumn were related. 3. Out of 145 Aphytis chrysomphali Mercet parasitoids captured in the field, 65% were classified as sugar-fed and 24.7% as honeydew-fed. In summer, when ant activity peaked, there was a significant negative correlation between the level of ant activity and the total sugar content and honeydew feeding incidence by A. chrysomphali. Out of 47 individuals of the predator Chrysoperla carnea sensu lato (Stephens), captured in the field, 55.3% were classified as sugar-fed. We found a significant negative effect of the level of ant activity on the sugar-feeding incidence by C. carnea in spring. 4. The present study provides evidence that ants can interfere with the energy reserves of natural enemies. This interaction may be widespread in various ecosystems with important consequences for the arthropod community composition and with practical implications for biological control given that absence of sugar feeding is detrimental for the fitness of many species of predators and parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
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8. Relative importance of sugar resources to endemic gecko populations in an isolated island ecosystem.
- Author
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Evans, Annette E., Towns, David R., and Beggs, Jacqueline R.
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GECKOS , *LIZARDS , *HEMIPTERA , *INSECTS , *PHORMIUM tenax - Abstract
In many ecosystems food-web dynamics are driven by spatial and temporal variation in the availability of sugar resources, which form the primary or even exclusive dietary constituents for many species. Scale insects (Hemiptera) produce sugar-rich honeydew, which can be a keystone sugar source in honeydew ecosystems worldwide. In New Zealand, most previous research in honeydew ecosystems has been conducted in areas where herpetofauna are heavily suppressed by introduced predators. Consequently, little is known about potential trophic interactions between endemic lizards and scale insects. Korapuki Island is one of the few remaining locations in New Zealand where endemic scale insects and lizards survive in densities likely to be representative of prehuman conditions. We examined the relative importance of different sugar resources on Korapuki Island to Duvaucel's geckos (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii) and common geckos (Woodworthia maculatus). We recorded the abundance and morphometrics of geckos attending five sugar-producing plant species (two of which host honeydew-producing scale insects) three times daily along a fixed transect. Large numbers of Duvaucel's and common geckos were recorded nocturnally feeding on honeydew produced by the scale insect Coelostomidia zealandica (Coelostomidiidae). Duvaucel's geckos of all sizes and genders fed extensively on honeydew throughout the year, favouring ngaio (Myoporum laetum) trees with high scale insect infestations, but were seldom recorded at other sugar resources. In contrast, juvenile common geckos were infrequently recorded on honeydew-producing trees. Common geckos fed on a variety of other sugar resources, with all sizes and sexes abundant on nectar and sap of flax (Phormium tenax) and seasonally exploiting nectar of pohutukawa (Metrosideros excelsa). The strength of interactions between scale insects and geckos, particularly for the Duvaucel's gecko population on Korapuki Island, indicates the importance of honeydew in addition to more ephemeral sugar resources such as nectar. Accordingly, the re-establishment of honeydew-producing Hemiptera populations should be considered in future conservation and restoration plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
9. Costs and constraints in aphid-ant mutualism.
- Author
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Yao, Izumi
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APHIDS , *MUTUALISM (Biology) , *HOST plants , *PLANT species , *COMPETITION (Biology) , *MICROBIOLOGY , *PLANTS , *PLANT genetics , *INSECTS - Abstract
While many studies have demonstrated that ants provide beneficial services to aphids, Bristow (Ant-plant interactions, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 104-119, ) first questioned why so few aphid species are ant-attended. Phylogenetic trees have demonstrated multiple gains and loss of ant-attendance in the course of aphid-ant interactions, implying that mutualisms easily form and dissolve. Several studies have reported the factors that influence the formation and maintenance of aphid-ant interactions. Examples include the physiological costs of ant attendance, competition for mutualistic ants, ant predation on aphids, the influence of host plants, and parasitoid wasps. Recent physiological techniques have also revealed the chemical component of aphid-ant mutualisms. The honeydew of ant-attended aphids contains melezitose (a trisaccharide), which has an important role in aphid-ant interactions. Studies of cuticular hydrocarbons on aphids and ants have clarified the underlying mechanisms of ant predation on aphids. Attending ants also reduce aphid dispersal ability, causing the formation of fragmented aphid populations with low genetic diversity in each population. The reduced aphid dispersal could be partly explained by higher wing loading and reduction of flight apparatus due to ant attendance. Whether ant attendance is associated with the range of host plants of aphids or genetic variation in microorganism in aphids remain to be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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10. Relationship between the honeydew of mealy bugs and the growth of Phlebopus portentosus
- Author
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Yang Tianwei, Fang Yiwei, Zhang Chunxia, Yang Cao, Yun Wang, Tao Yang, Feng Gao, Wang Wenbing, Jing Liu, He Mingxia, and Xu Xinjing
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Fungal Structure ,Plant Science ,030308 mycology & parasitology ,fluids and secretions ,Fungal Reproduction ,Plant Tumors ,Gall ,Host plants ,Mycelium ,Plant Growth and Development ,0303 health sciences ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Plant Anatomy ,digestive, oral, and skin physiology ,Eukaryota ,Fabaceae ,Plants ,Insects ,Root Growth ,Medicine ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,Science ,Fungus ,Plant anatomy ,Mycology ,Hemiptera ,03 medical and health sciences ,Symbiosis ,Phlebopus portentosus ,Botany ,parasitic diseases ,Animals ,030304 developmental biology ,Basidiomycota ,fungi ,Organisms ,Fungi ,Biology and Life Sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,digestive system diseases ,Species Interactions ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
BackgroundPhlebopus portentosus and mealy bugs form a fungus-insect gall on the roots of host plants. The fungus and mealy bugs benefit mutually through the gall, which is the key link in the nutritional mechanism of P. portentosus. The cavity of the fungus-insect gall provides an ideal shelter for mealy bugs survival and reproduction, but how does P. portentosus benefit from this symbiotic relationship?Methodology and resultsAnatomical examination of fungus-insect galls revealed that one or more mealy bugs of different generations were living inside the galls. The mealy bug's mouthpart could penetrate through the mycelium layer of the inside of the gall and suck plant juice from the host plant root. Mealy bugs excreted honeydew inside or outside the galls. The results of both honeydew agar medium and quartz tests showed that the honeydew can attract and promote the mycelial growth of P. portentosus. A test of the relationship between the honeydew and the formation of the fungus-insect gall showed that honeydew promoted gall formation.ConclusionsAll experimental results in this study show that the honeydew secreted by mealy bugs can attract and promote the mycelial growth of P. portentosus, forming a fungus-insect gall, because mealy bugs' honeydew is rich in amino acids and sugars.
- Published
- 2020
11. The suitability of native flowers as pollen sources for Chrysoperla lucasina (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)
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Francisca Ruano, Rafael Alcalá Herrera, María Luisa Fernández Sierra, Junta de Andalucía, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España), and CSIC - Unidad de Recursos de Información Científica para la Investigación (URICI)
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0106 biological sciences ,Male ,Insecta ,Biological pest control ,Plant Science ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,Fungal Reproduction ,Abdomen ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Pollination ,Flowering Plants ,2. Zero hunger ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Plant Anatomy ,Capsella ,Eukaryota ,food and beverages ,Agriculture ,Native plant ,Plants ,Insects ,Medicine ,Pollen ,Female ,Anatomy ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,Science ,Crops ,Mycology ,Flowers ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Magnoliopsida ,Botany ,medicine ,Animals ,Fungal Spores ,Neuroptera ,Host (biology) ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,15. Life on land ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Diet ,010602 entomology ,Chrysopidae ,Zoology ,Entomology ,Crop Science - Abstract
Green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) are key biological control agents found in a broad range of crops. Given the importance of enhancing their presence and conservation, in this study, we aim to identify and to determine the relative importance of the pollen consumed by Chrysoperla lucasina (Lacroix, 1936) from 29 pollen types offered by 51 native plant species sown in an experimental farm in Villarrubia in the south of Spain. For the purposes of this study, C. lucasina specimens were captured in the late spring of 2016 and 2017. The pollen types and other components in the alimentary canal of C. lucasina were microscopically identified using the transparency method, which is a novel technique applied to green lacewings captured in the field. The results show that (i) C. lucasina feeds on over half of the pollen types offered by the sown plant species, with no differences in behaviour by sex or year; (ii) Capsella bursa-pastoris was the most frequently identified pollen type in the alimentary canal; (iii) the majority of pollen types identified correspond to sown native plant species and not to surrounding plant species; and that (iv) most of the adults studied also consumed honeydew. Our feeding study has important implications for the selection of plant mixtures for ground cover restoration and flower vegetation strips in Mediterranean agroecosystems, which complements our previous findings on how C. lucasina use native plant species as host and reproduction sites. The plant species Capsella bursa-pastoris and Biscutella auriculata, which are best suited to provide pollen, host and reproduction sites for C. lucasina in late spring, should consequently be included in the proposed plant mixtures for Mediterranean agroecosystems., Junta de Andalucia P12-AGR-1419, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) 201840E055
- Published
- 2020
12. The trisaccharide melezitose impacts honey bees and their intestinal microbiota
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Annette Schroeder, Martin Hasselmann, Victoria Seeburger, Paul D’Alvise, Karsten Schweikert, Gertrud Lohaus, and Basel Shaaban
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0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Forage (honey bee) ,Gut flora ,01 natural sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Animal Products ,Lactobacillus ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Overwintering ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Eukaryota ,food and beverages ,Agriculture ,Melezitose ,Organ Size ,Honey ,Genomics ,Bees ,Intestines ,Insects ,Medical Microbiology ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,Medicine ,Honey Bees ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,Science ,Drinking ,Zoology ,Crops ,Microbial Genomics ,Microbiology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Genetics ,Animals ,Nectar ,Nutrition ,Bacteria ,Host (biology) ,Gut Bacteria ,fungi ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Survival Analysis ,Invertebrates ,Hymenoptera ,Gastrointestinal Microbiome ,Diet ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Food ,Microbiome ,Trisaccharides ,Crop Science - Abstract
In general, honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) feed on honey produced from collected nectar. In the absence of nectar, during certain times of the year or in monocultural landscapes, honey bees forage on honeydew. Honeydew is excreted by different herbivores of the order Hemiptera that consume phloem sap of plant species. In comparison to nectar, honeydew is composed of a higher variety of sugars and additional sugars with higher molecular weight, like the trisaccharide melezitose that can be a major constituent of honeydew. However, melezitose-containing honey is known to cause malnutrition in overwintering honey bees. Following the hypothesis that melezitose may be the cause for the so called ‘honeydew flow disease’, three independent feeding experiments with caged bees were conducted in consecutive years. Bees fed with melezitose showed increased food uptake, higher gut weights and elevated mortality compared to bees fed a control diet. Moreover, severe disease symptoms, such as swollen abdomen, abdomen tipping and impaired movement were observed in melezitose-fed bees. 16S-amplicon sequencing indicated that the melezitose diet changed the species composition of the lactic acid bacteria community within the gut microbiota. Based on these results, we conclude that melezitose cannot be easily digested by the host and may accumulate in the hindgut. Within cages or during winter, when there is no opportunity for excretion, the accumulated melezitose can cause severe intestinal symptoms and death of the bees, probably as result of poor melezitose metabolism capabilities in the intestinal microbiota. These findings confirm the causal relation between the trisaccharide melezitose and the honeydew flow disease and indicate a possible mechanism of pathogenesis.
- Published
- 2020
13. Mielato de Stigmacoccus asper (Hemiptera: Stigmacoccidae): recurso melífero de bosques de roble en Colombia.
- Author
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CHAMORRO, FERMÍN J., NATES-PARRA, GUIOMAR, and KONDO, TAKUMASA
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HONEYDEW ,INSECTS ,HONEYBEES ,NECTAR ,OAK ,FORESTRY research - Abstract
Copyright of Revista Colombiana de Entomologia is the property of Universidad del Valle and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2013
14. An episodic model of honeydew production in scale insects.
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JAMES, ALEX and KELLY, DAVE
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HONEYDEW , *ULTRACOELOSTOMA , *COELOSTOMIDIIDAE , *HOMOPTERA , *INSECTS - Abstract
Honeydew produced by sooty beech scale insects ( Ultracoelostoma spp., Homoptera: Coelostomidiidae) is a keystone ecological process in New Zealand beech ( Nothofagus spp., Nothofagaceae) forest. This work puts forward a model of honeydew production based on individual insects that presumes feeding and excretion are episodic processes driven by the insect rather than the passive processes that were previously assumed. The model is parameterized using existing data and then compared to an independent pre-existing dataset. The model suggests that over a 12-h period, on average the insects suck sap for 2 h, and excrete waste sap for 12 min. Resource uptake by the insects appears to be limited by the time required to process the sap, consistent with the observed relationship between honeydew production rates and ambient temperature. This implies that insect feeding rates may be ultimately limited by the low nitrogen content of phloem sap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
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15. Ant mimicry by an aphid parasitoid, Lysiphlebus fabarum.
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Rasekh, Arash, Michaud, J. P., Kharazi-Pakdel, Aziz, and Allahyari, Hossein
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INSECTS , *PARASITOIDS , *BEAN aphid , *MIMICRY (Biology) , *MUTUALISM (Biology) - Abstract
The article discusses a study concerning the ant mimicking behavior of female aphid parasitoid, Lysiphlebus fabarum against black bean aphid, Aphis fabae. It is stated that females encountered an average of 47.4 aphids per hour and reduced their defensive behavior by using ant like antennation. It further states that the mimicking behavior of parasitoid females increased in food deprived condition which revealed a possibility of mutualism between parasitoid and the ant species.
- Published
- 2010
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16. Arboreal Ants Use the "Velcro Principle" to Capture Very Large Prey.
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Dejean, Alain, Leroy, Céline, Corbara, Bruno, Roux, Olivier, Céréghino, Régis, Orivel, Jérôme, and Boulay, Raphaël
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ANTS , *PREDATION , *HOST plants , *MYRMECOPHYES (Insects) , *CECROPIA , *HEMIPTERA , *HONEYDEW , *INSECTS , *DEFOLIATION - Abstract
Plant-ants live in a mutualistic association with host plants known as ''myrmecophytes'' that provide them with a nesting place and sometimes with extra-floral nectar (EFN) and/or food bodies (FBs); the ants can also attend sap-sucking Hemiptera for their honeydew. In return, plant-ants, like most other arboreal ants, protect their host plants from defoliators. To satisfy their nitrogen requirements, however, some have optimized their ability to capture prey in the restricted environment represented by the crowns of trees by using elaborate hunting techniques. In this study, we investigated the predatory behavior of the ant Azteca andreae which is associated with the myrmecophyte Cecropia obtusa. We noted that up to 8350 ant workers per tree hide side-by-side beneath the leaf margins of their host plant with their mandibles open, waiting for insects to alight. The latter are immediately seized by their extremities, and then spread-eagled; nestmates are recruited to help stretch, carve up and transport prey. This group ambush hunting technique is particularly effective when the underside of the leaves is downy, as is the case for C. obtusa. In this case, the hook-shaped claws of the A. andreae workers and the velvet-like structure of the underside of the leaves combine to act like natural Velcro® that is reinforced by the group ambush strategy of the workers, allowing them to capture prey of up to 13,350 times the mean weight of a single worker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
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17. PORTRAIT OF MARCHALINA HELLENICA GENNADIUS (HEMIPTERA: MARGARODIDAE), THE MAIN PRODUCING INSECT OF PINE HONEYDEW-BIOLOGY, GENETIC VARIABILITY AND HONEY PRODUCTION.
- Author
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HATJINA, Fani and BOUGA, Maria
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HONEYDEW , *PINE , *INSECTS , *MARGARODIDAE - Abstract
Marchalina hellenica is the main honeydew producing insect of pine trees. It is endemic to Greece and Turkey and introduced to the Italian island of Ischia. It has one generation per year and the adult females appear on the trees only after mid March. Studies on the genetic structure of the insect show that the low genetic variability may be due to the fact that it can not be dispersed long distances in correlation with the parthenogenetic reproduction. The amount of honeydew produced by the insect varies over the year and mainly depends on the size and age of the nymphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
18. Foraging activity and dietary spectrum of wood ants ( Formica rufa group) and their role in nutrient fluxes in boreal forests.
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DOMISCH, TIMO, FINÉR, LEENA, NEUVONEN, SEPPO, NIEMELÄ, PEKKA, RISCH, ANITA C., KILPELÄINEN, JOUNI, OHASHI, MIZUE, and JURGENSEN, MARTIN F.
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FORAGING behavior , *ANTS , *INSECTS , *TAIGAS , *DIET , *NORWAY spruce , *HONEYDEW , *INVERTEBRATES , *BIOTIC communities - Abstract
1. We monitored three different-sized wood ant ( Formica aquilonia Yarrow) mounds over a 3-year period in Finnish boreal forests dominated by Norway spruce ( Picea abies Karst.), to assess the seasonal temperature dependency of ant activity. Additionally, we also monitored Norway spruce trees around the mounds for descending honeydew foragers. 2. The amount of collected honeydew and prey and its composition, as well as the carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in honeydew and invertebrate prey was also investigated. 3. The number of warm days (average temperature above 20 °C) and the amount of precipitation differed among the years. Ant activity at the mounds (but not on the trees) was highly correlated with air temperature throughout the ant-active season (May–September), but ant activity in spring and autumn was lower than in summer at similar temperatures. During all 3 years, honeydew played a major role in wood ant nutrition (78–92% of dry mass). Invertebrate prey was mainly Diptera (on average 26.2%), Coleoptera (12.5%), Aphidina (9.3%), and Arachnoida (8.5%). 4. The total amounts of C, N, and P input brought into the ant mounds in the form of food (both honeydew and prey) on the stand level were 12.6–39.0, 1.6–4.6 and 0.1–0.4 kg ha−1 year−1, respectively, which is equivalent to 2–6%, 12–33% and 27–58% of the fluxes in annual needle litterfall in typical boreal Norway spruce forests. Thus, wood ants can play a significant role in short term and local N and P cycling of boreal forest ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
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19. Fungal Phyllosphere Communities are Altered by Indirect Interactions Among Trophic Levels.
- Author
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Perez, Jose L., French, J. Victor, Summy, Kenneth R., Baines, Anita Davelos, and Little, Christopher R.
- Subjects
- *
HERBIVORES , *INSECTS , *PARASITOIDS , *FUNGI , *HONEYDEW , *PARASITES - Abstract
Trophic interactions involving predators, herbivores, and plants have been described in terrestrial systems. However, there is almost no information on the effect of trophic interactions on microbial phyllosphere community abundance, diversity, or structure. In this study, the interaction between a parasitoid, an insect herbivore, and the fungal phyllosphere community is examined. Parasitoid wasps have an indirect negative impact on fungal community diversity. On the citrus phyllosphere, the exotic wasp species, Amitus hesperidum and Encarsia opulenta, may parasitize the citrus blackfly ( Aleurocanthus woglumi). If parasitism levels are low, the blackfly may produce significant amounts of honeydew secretions on the surface of the leaf. Honeydew deposition provides a carbon-rich substrate for the development of fungal growth persisting as sooty mold on the leaves. Leaves from sooty mold-infested grapefruit ( Citrus paradisi) trees were collected from multiple orchards in south Texas. The effect of different levels of exotic parasite activity, citrus blackfly, and sooty mold infestation on phyllosphere mycobiota community structure and diversity was examined. Our results suggest the presence of the parasitoid may lead to a top–down trophic cascade affecting phyllosphere fungal community diversity and structure. Additionally, persistent sooty mold deposits that have classically been referred to as Capnodium citri (and related asexual morphological forms) actually comprise a myriad of fungal species including many saprophytes and potential fruit and foliar pathogens of citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
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20. Nectar-providing plants enhance the energetic state of herbivores as well as their parasitoids under field conditions.
- Author
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Winkler, Karin, Wäckers, Felix, and Pinto, Delia M.
- Subjects
- *
PARASITOIDS , *PLUTELLA , *HONEYDEW , *HONEY plants , *PREDATORY animals , *BIOLOGICAL pest control , *INSECTS - Abstract
1. The use of flowering vegetation has been widely advocated as a strategy for providing parasitoids and predators with nectar and pollen. However, their herbivorous hosts and prey may exploit floral food sources as well. 2. Previous laboratory studies have shown that not all flower species are equally suitable in providing accessible nectar. Relatively little is known about actual nectar exploitation under field conditions. 3. The present study investigates nectar exploitation by the pest, Plutella xylostella, and its parasitoid, Diadegma semiclausum, under field conditions and examines whether floral nectar exploitation in the field can be predicted based on controlled laboratory studies. 4. Insects were collected from fields bordered by flowering margins containing Fagopyrum esculentum, Lobularia maritima, Anethum graveolens, Centaurea jacea or the grass Lolium perenne (control). Whole insect bodies were individually assayed by HPLC to establish their sugar profile as a measure of the level of energy reserves and the degree of food source use. 5. The average overall sugar content of P. xylostella and D. semiclausum collected in fields bordered by flowering margins was significantly higher than those of individuals collected from grass-bordered control plots. To the authors’ knowledge, this represents the first demonstration that nectar-providing plants enhance the energetic state of herbivores under field conditions. 6. In contrast to earlier laboratory studies, the present study did not find elevated sugar contents in P. xylostella and D. semiclausum individuals collected from fields bordered by buckwheat ( F. esculentum). 7. The present study shows widespread sugar feeding by both the herbivore and its parasitoid. It also shows that laboratory studies establishing nectar exploitation under controlled conditions can not always be extrapolated to actual exploitation under field conditions. This emphasises the importance of studying field-collected insects with regard to food source use and nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2009
- Full Text
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21. A dynamical model of honeydew droplet production by sooty-beech scale insects (Ultracoelostoma spp.) in New Zealand Nothofagus forest
- Author
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James, Alex, Dungan, Roger, Plank, Michael, and Ito, Ryoko
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- *
HONEYDEW , *FLUID dynamics , *MATHEMATICAL models , *NOTHOFAGUS , *PHLOEM , *INSECTS , *FOREST ecology - Abstract
Sugar-rich honeydew production by phloem-feeding sooty beech scale insects (Ultracoelostoma spp.) is a keystone ecological process in New Zealand beech (Nothofagus) forest. A dynamical model to describe the formation of individual honeydew droplets is derived using simple fluid dynamics. The model assumes that the insects play little part in regulating flow, and that flow is driven by phloem hydrostatic pressure and regulated by environmental conditions affecting water evaporation from droplets. The model predicts different types of behaviour depending on local environmental conditions. In dry conditions, evaporation rates are high and honeydew droplets can become so concentrated that further excretion is prevented and droplet formation ceases. In humid conditions, the high concentrations required to prevent droplet formation do not occur and droplets continue to grow indefinitely. The model is fitted to new data and the data are used to estimate values for the rate of flow of phloem sap through the insect and for the concentration required to prevent further excretion. Model predictions provide a close qualitative match to field data. However, rates of fluid flow from the trees through the insects would need to be much greater than the model assumes to produce values for droplet production that match field data. This suggests that the insects are playing an active role in regulating the flow rate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2007
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22. EFECTO DE UNA FUENTE DE ALIMENTO EXPERIMENTAL SOBRE UNA ASOCIACIÓN HORMIGA-HEMIPTERO.
- Author
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Rico-Gray, Victor and Morais, Helena C.
- Subjects
- *
HONEYDEW , *HEMIPTERA , *INSECTS , *FOOD , *SOLANACEAE , *CARPENTER ants , *MEMBRACIDAE - Abstract
In order to assess if ants attracted to honeydew-producing Hemiptera switched food sources when offered an additional, considerably rich and abundant food source, we studied the interaction between the plant Solanum lycocarpum (Solanaceae), an efn-lacking shrub, the predominantly diurnal ant Camponotus crassus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), and two species of membracids (Enchenopa spp.; Homoptera: Membracidae). The study was done during September of 1999 at the Reserva Ecológica of IBGE (ca. 35 km S of Brasilia-DF, Brasil). The results show that ants were attracted both to the experimental food source and to the membracids. Moreover, the mean number of ants visiting the experimental nectary was significantly higher than those visiting the membracids. However, the membracids were never left unattended, which suggests that ants, even though presented with an abundant and rich food source, do not abandon other sources. The latter can be explained due to an increment in the honeydew production rate by the membracids, thus the attention levels of ants does not vary Another possibility is the fidelity of worker ants to a food source and its location. To show that ants switch food sources based on quality and/or quantity, and not merely based of their presence and/or absence, requires future research, both for plants with and without extrafloral nectaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
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23. PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GREEK FIR HONEYDEW HONEY FROM MARCHALINA HELLENICA (GEN.) IN COMPARISON TO OTHER MEDITERRANEAN HONEYDEW HONEYS.
- Author
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Bacandritsos, N., Sabatini, A. G., Papanastasiou, I., and Saitanis, C.
- Subjects
- *
HONEYDEW , *HONEY , *INSECTS , *ANALYTICAL chemistry , *SENSORY evaluation - Abstract
The first samples of recently produced fir honeydew honey, obtained from Marchalina hellenica (Gennadius) (Homoptera, coccoidea, Margarodidae), originating from Mount Helmos in Greece were analysed and examined on the basis of physical and chemical parameters including humidity, acidity, sugar profile, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and diastase activity. These data were compared with five other Mediterranean honeydew honeys of different origin obtained from the literature. Analytical data of the Greek fir honey from M. hellenica honeydew complied with the E.U. legal limits. The sensorial analysis indicated that the organoleptic characteristics of this type of honeydew honey were very similar to the Greek fir honey derived from other coccids with respect to colour, taste and smell. The statistical analysis of the physico-chemical parameters of the six honey types revealed two major groups. One group consisted of three Greek honeys and the other included one Spanish and two Italian honeys. it also showed a marked similarity between the two Greek honeys that came from M. hellenica honeydew on either fir or pine trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
24. Foraging behaviour at the fourth trophic level: a comparative study of host location in aphid hyperparasitoids.
- Author
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Buitenhuis, R., Vet, L. E. M., Boivin, G., and Brodeur, J.
- Subjects
- *
ANIMAL behavior , *KAIROMONES , *PARASITOIDS , *HONEYDEW , *FORAGING behavior , *PTEROMALIDAE , *INSECTS - Abstract
In studies of foraging behaviour in a multitrophic context, the fourth trophic level has generally been ignored. We used four aphid hyperparasitoid species:Dendrocerus carpenteri(Curtis) (Hymenoptera: Megaspilidae),Asaphes suspensusWalker (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae),Alloxysta victrix(Westwood) (Hymenoptera: Alloxystidae) andSyrphophagus aphidivorus(Mayr) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), to correlate their response to different cues with their ecological attributes such as host range and host stage. In addition, we compared our results with studies of primary parasitoids on the same plant–herbivore system. First, the olfactory response of females was tested in a Y-tube olfactometer (single choice: plant, aphid, honeydew, parasitised aphid, aphid mummy, or virgin female parasitoid; dual choice: clean plant, plant with aphids, or plant–host complex). Second, their foraging behaviour was described on plants with different stimuli (honeydew, aphids, parasitised aphids, and aphid mummies). The results indicated that olfactory cues are probably not essential cues for hyperparasitoid females. In foraging behaviour on the plant, all species prolonged their total visit time and search time as compared to the control treatment (clean plant). OnlyA. victrixdid not react to the honeydew. Oviposition in mummies prolonged the total visit time because of the long handling time, but the effect of this behaviour on search time could not be determined. No clear correlation between foraging behaviour and host stage or host range was found. In contrast to specialised primary aphid parasitoids that have strong fixed responses to specific kairomones and herbivore-induced synomones, more generalist aphid hyperparasitoids seem to depend less on volatile olfactory stimuli, but show similarities with primary parasitoids in their use of contact cues while searching on a plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2005
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25. Host feeding in insect parasitoids: why destructively feed upon a host that excretes an alternative?
- Author
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Burger, Joep M.S., Reijnen, Tamar M., van Lenteren, Joop C., and Vet, Louise E.M.
- Subjects
- *
INSECT behavior , *HONEYDEW , *HONEY , *FERTILITY , *LONGEVITY , *HYMENOPTERA , *INSECTS , *ALEYRODIDAE - Abstract
Host feeding is the consumption of host tissue by the adult female parasitoid. We studied the function of destructive host feeding and its advantage over non-destructive feeding on host-derived honeydew in the whitefly parasitoid Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae). We allowed parasitoids to oviposit until they attempted to host feed. We either prevented or allowed host feeding. Parasitoids had access to sucrose solution, with or without additional access to honeydew. Parasitoids that were allowed to host feed did not have a higher egg load 20 or 48 h after host feeding than parasitoids prevented from host feeding. Host feeding did not increase the number of eggs matured within these periods, nor did the time spent host feeding positively affect any of these response variables. On the other hand, the presence of honeydew did have a positive effect on egg load 20 and 48 h after host feeding compared with parasitoids deprived of honeydew. Parasitoids with access to honeydew matured more eggs within these periods than honeydew-deprived parasitoids. Host feeding increased life expectancy, but this effect was nullified when honeydew was supplied after the host-feeding attempt. In conclusion, feeding on honeydew could be an advantageous alternative to host feeding in terms of egg quantity and longevity. This applies especially to parasitoids exploiting Homoptera, because these parasitoids can obtain honeydew from the host itself. It is possible that destructive host feeding has evolved to enable females to sustain the production of high-quality anhydropic eggs, which may be important in the parasitoid's natural environment. We argue that future studies should take natural alternative food sources into more consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
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- View/download PDF
26. Long-Legged Ants, Anoplolepis gracilipes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), Have Invaded Tokelau, Changing Composition and Dynamics of Ant and Invertebrate Communities.
- Author
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Lester, Philip J. and Tavite, Alapati
- Subjects
- *
CORAL reefs & islands , *ANTS , *ISLANDS , *HONEYDEW , *INSECTS , *MEALYBUGS - Abstract
This report documents the ongoing invasion of the Tokelau atolls by the long-legged ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes (Jerdon). These ants were collected from two of the three Tokelau atolls. On the island of Fenua Fala of Fakaofo Atoll, long-legged ants appear to be a recent arrival and occur in only a small area around one of the two ports. Most of the inhabited islands of Vao and Motuhuga on Nukunonu Atoll have been invaded, in addition to several of the uninhabited, forested islands. Despite this ant having been previously recorded from at least one island of Fakaofo and Nukunonu, these appear to be new invasions. Densities of up to 3,603 A. gracilipes per pitfall trap were caught per 24 hr. A significant reduction in ant species diversity was observed with increasing A. gracilipes densities. Densities of this ant were not uniformly high, perhaps due to variation in food availability. Prey such as crabs, ant colonies, and other insects were directly observed being attacked, and long-legged ants were observed to feed on honeydew produced by high densities of aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects on a variety of plants. Interspecific competition was investigated as an additional mechanism for the successful invasion. Long-legged ants found and removed bait faster than the dominant resident ant species, Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille), in forested areas of Nukunonu Island, though needing smaller numbers of recruits to achieve this result. This A. gracilipes invasion is of serious concern for the biodiversity of Tokelau and probably many of the other Pacific islands where these ants have invaded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. New Insights into the Nature of Symbiotic Associations in Aphids: Infection Process, Biological Effects, and Transmission Mode of Cultivable Serratia symbiotica Bacteria
- Author
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Thierry Hance, Inès Pons, Christine Noël, François Renoz, and UCL - SST/ELI/ELIB - Biodiversity
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,gut bacteria ,infection dynamics ,Honeydew ,Serratia ,life history evolution ,Microorganism ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Symbiosis ,Invertebrate Microbiology ,Animals ,insects ,Phylogeny ,030304 developmental biology ,Genetics ,Mutualism (biology) ,0303 health sciences ,Aphid ,biology ,Phylogenetic tree ,Ecology ,food and beverages ,biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition ,benefits ,fitness consequences ,biology.organism_classification ,symbiosis ,transfer route ,Aphids ,Evolutionary ecology ,Bacteria ,Biotechnology ,Food Science - Abstract
Symbiotic microorganisms are widespread in nature and can play a major role in the ecology and evolution of animals. The aphid-Serratia symbiotica bacterium interaction provides a valuable model to study the mechanisms behind these symbiotic associations. The recent discovery of cultivable S. symbiotica strains with a free-living lifestyle allowed us to simulate their environmental acquisition by aphids to examine the mechanisms involved in this infection pathway. Here, after oral ingestion, we analyzed the infection dynamics of cultivable S. symbiotica during the host’s lifetime using quantitative PCR and fluorescence techniques and determined the immediate fitness consequences of these bacteria on their new host. We further examined the transmission behavior and phylogenetic position of cultivable strains. Our study revealed that cultivable S. symbiotica bacteria are predisposed to establish a symbiotic association with a new aphid host, settling in its gut. We show that cultivable S. symbiotica bacteria colonize the entire aphid digestive tract following infection, after which the bacteria multiply exponentially during aphid development. Our results further reveal that gut colonization by the bacteria induces a fitness cost to their hosts. Nevertheless, it appeared that the bacteria also offer an immediate protection against parasitoids. Interestingly, cultivable S. symbiotica strains seem to be extracellularly transmitted, possibly through the honeydew, while S. symbiotica is generally considered a maternally transmitted bacterium living within the aphid body cavity and bringing some benefits to its hosts, despite its costs. These findings provide new insights into the nature of symbiosis in aphids and the mechanisms underpinning these interactions. IMPORTANCE S. symbiotica is one of the most common symbionts among aphid populations and includes a wide variety of strains whose degree of interdependence on the host may vary considerably. S. symbiotica strains with a free-living capacity have recently been isolated from aphids. By using these strains, we established artificial associations by simulating new bacterial acquisitions involved in aphid gut infections to decipher their infection processes and biological effects on their new hosts. Our results showed the early stages involved in this route of infection. So far, S. symbiotica has been considered a maternally transmitted aphid endosymbiont. Nevertheless, we show that our cultivable S. symbiotica strains occupy and replicate in the aphid gut and seem to be transmitted over generations through an environmental transmission mechanism. Moreover, cultivable S. symbiotica bacteria are both parasites and mutualists given the context, as are many aphid endosymbionts. Our findings give new perception of the associations involved in bacterial mutualism in aphids.
- Published
- 2019
28. Sugar, amino acid and inorganic ion profiling of the honeydew from different hemipteran species feeding on Abies alba and Picea abies
- Author
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Victoria Seeburger, Annette Schroeder, Basel Shaaban, and Gertrud Lohaus
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Sucrose ,Oligosaccharides ,Plant Science ,Disaccharides ,Fructoses ,01 natural sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,Animal Products ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Amino Acids ,Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ,0303 health sciences ,Aphid ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Organic Compounds ,Plant Anatomy ,Monosaccharides ,Eukaryota ,food and beverages ,Agriculture ,Melezitose ,Honey ,Plants ,Insects ,Chemistry ,Plant Physiology ,Physical Sciences ,Plant Bark ,Amino Acid Analysis ,Medicine ,Vascular Bundles ,Abies ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,Science ,Carbohydrates ,Phloem ,Research and Analysis Methods ,03 medical and health sciences ,Botany ,Animals ,Picea ,Molecular Biology Techniques ,Sugar ,Molecular Biology ,Nutrition ,030304 developmental biology ,Ions ,Molecular Biology Assays and Analysis Techniques ,Host (biology) ,Organic Chemistry ,fungi ,Organisms ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Picea abies ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Diet ,chemistry ,Inorganic Chemicals ,Food ,Aphids ,Potassium ,Cinara ,Sugars ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Several hemipteran species feed on the phloem sap of plants and produce large amounts of honeydew that is collected by bees to produce honeydew honey. Therefore, it is important to know whether it is predominantly the hemipteran species or the host plant to influence the honeydew composition. This is particularly relevant for those botanical and zoological species from which the majority of honeydew honey originates. To investigate this issue, honeydew from two Cinara species located on Abies alba as well as from two Cinara and two Physokermes species located on Picea abies were collected. Phloem exudates of the host plants were also analyzed. Honeydew of all species contained different proportions of hexoses, sucrose, melezitose, erlose, and further di- and trisaccharides, whereas the phloem exudates of the host trees contained no trisaccharides. Moreover, the proportions of sugars differed significantly between hemipteran species feeding on the same tree species. Sucrose hydrolysis and oligosaccharide formation was shown in whole-body homogenates of aphids. The type of the produced oligosaccharides in the aphid-extracts correlated with the oligosaccharide composition in the honeydew of the different aphid species. The total contents of amino acids and inorganic ions in the honeydew were much lower than the sugar content. Glutamine and glutamate were predominant amino acids in the honeydew of all six hemipteran species and also in the phloem exudates of both tree species. Potassium was the dominant inorganic ion in all honeydew samples and also in the phloem exudate. Statistical analyses reveal that the sugar composition of honeydew is determined more by the hemipteran species than by the host plant. Consequently, it can be assumed that the sugar composition of honeydew honey is also more influenced by the hemipteran species than by the host tree.
- Published
- 2020
29. Defense of homopteran honeydew by birds in the Mexican highlands andother warm temperate forests
- Author
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Greenberg, R., Bichier, P., and Caballero, C. Macias
- Subjects
- *
FORESTS & forestry , *HONEYDEW , *ANIMAL feeding behavior , *BIRDS , *INSECTS - Published
- 1993
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. The diet of the New Holland honeyeater, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae.
- Author
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Paton, David C.
- Subjects
HONEYEATERS ,INSECTS ,NECTARIES ,MANNA ,HONEYDEW ,CARBOHYDRATES - Abstract
This article presents a study on the diet of the New Holland honeyeater, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae. New Holland honeyeaters collect nectar, manna or honeydew for energy and hawk small flying insects for protein. In this study, the nectar, manna and honeydew contained negligible amounts of protein, and the birds used small flying insects as sources of protein, and presumably other nutrients. Given that carbohydrate resources supply better rates of energy gain than insects, New Holland honeyeaters should collect their energy requirements from carbohydrates and only collect sufficient insects to satisfy their protein requirements.
- Published
- 1982
- Full Text
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31. Epormenis cestri secretions in Sebastiania schottiana trees cause mass death of honey bee Apis mellifera larvae in Uruguay
- Author
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Daniela Arredondo, Belén Branchiccela, Estela Santos, Pablo Juri, Ciro Invernizzi, Enrique Nogueira, Yamandú Mendoza, Karina Antúnez, Invernizzi Castillo Ciro, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Ciencias. Instituto de Biología, Nogueira Enrique, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Veterinaria, Juri Pablo, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Veterinaria, Santos Martínez Estela Ivon, Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Ciencias. Instituto de Biología, Arredondo Papiol Daniela, IIBCE, Branchiccela María Belén, IIBCE, Mendoza Yamandú, INIA, and Antúnez Karina, IIBCE
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Life Cycles ,Beekeeping ,Insecta ,Physiology ,lcsh:Medicine ,Plant Science ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,Larvae ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,lcsh:Science ,Multidisciplinary ,Plant Anatomy ,Euphorbiaceae ,Eukaryota ,food and beverages ,Bees ,Insects ,Veterinary Diseases ,Larva ,Pollen ,Honey Bees ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,animal structures ,Apis Mellifera Larvae ,Arthropoda ,Apiary ,Zoology ,Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Surface Water ,medicine ,Animals ,Nectar ,Nymph ,Secretion ,Epormenis Cestri ,Colony Collapse ,lcsh:R ,fungi ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Honey bee ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Hymenoptera ,Nymphs ,010602 entomology ,030104 developmental biology ,Earth Sciences ,Uruguay ,lcsh:Q ,Veterinary Science ,Hydrology ,Physiological Processes ,Sebastiania ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
For more than 60 years, sporadic cases of massive summer honey bee larvae mortality in colonies located near freshwater systems with abundant riparian vegetation have been reported in Uruguay. This odd phenomenon, known as ?River disease? by beekeepers, can lead to colony death by depopulation. The aim of this study was to detect the causes of larvae death. Different experiments and analyses were performed using affected apiaries located between two important water courses. 1 day old larvae were the most susceptible and substances that killed the larvae were present in the nectar but not in the pollen. A palynological analysis of nectar samples showed that bees collect this resource from commonly pollinated floral species in the country. However, abundant fungi spores and conidia were found, which indicates that the bees also collected honeydews. In the riparian vegetation, bees were observed collecting the secretions of the planthopper Epormenis cestri on Sebastiania schottiana trees. It was found that the mortality period of larvae overlaps with the presence of E. cestri. Larvae maintained in the laboratory were fed (i) nectar from healthy colonies, (ii) nectar from affected colonies, and (iii) secretions of E. cestri. The mortality of the larvae that received nectar from colonies affected with River disease and secretions of E. cestri was higher than the mortality of those receiving nectar from healthy colonies. This represents the first report of planthopper honeydew causing mass larval mortality in honey bees. © 2018 Invernizzi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
- Published
- 2018
32. Nutrition versus defense: Why Myzus persicae (green peach aphid) prefers and performs better on young leaves of cabbage
- Author
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Tong-Xian Liu, Zhan-Feng Zhang, Xiao-Feng Wang, and He-He Cao
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Leaves ,Brassica ,lcsh:Medicine ,Insect ,Plant Science ,01 natural sciences ,Nutrient ,Plant defense against herbivory ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Amino Acids ,lcsh:Science ,media_common ,Aphid ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Plant Anatomy ,Eukaryota ,food and beverages ,Plants ,Insects ,Horticulture ,Plant Physiology ,Amino Acid Analysis ,Vascular Bundles ,Myzus persicae ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Glucosinolates ,Phloem ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Animals ,Plant Defenses ,Molecular Biology Techniques ,Molecular Biology ,Nutrition ,Prunus persica ,Molecular Biology Assays and Analysis Techniques ,Plant Extracts ,fungi ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Feeding Behavior ,biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Plant Leaves ,010602 entomology ,Aphids ,lcsh:Q ,010606 plant biology & botany - Abstract
Plant leaves of different ages differ in nutrients and toxic metabolites and thus exhibit various resistance levels against insect herbivores. However, little is known about the influence of leaf ontogeny on plant resistance to phloem-feeding insects. In this study, we found that the green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, preferred to settle on young cabbage leaves compared with mature or old leaves, although young leaves contained the highest concentration of glucosinolates. Furthermore, aphids feeding on young leaves had higher levels of glucosinolates in their body, but aphids performed better on young leaves in terms of body weight and population growth. Phloem sap of young leaves had higher amino acid:sugar molar ratio than mature leaves, and aphids feeding on young leaves showed two times longer phloem feeding time and five times more honeydew excretion than on other leaves. These results indicate that aphids acquired the highest amount of nutrients and defensive metabolites when feeding on young cabbage leaves that are strong natural plant sinks. Accordingly, we propose that aphids generally prefer to obtain more nutrition rather than avoiding host plant defense, and total amount of nutrition that aphids could obtain is significantly influenced by leaf ontogeny or source-sink status of feeding sites.
- Published
- 2018
33. Development and testing of a standardized method to estimate honeydew production
- Author
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Lori Lach, Michael Renton, Benjamin D. Hoffmann, Melinda L. Moir, and Mei Chen Leng
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,Invasive Species ,lcsh:Medicine ,Introduced species ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Models, Biological ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Red imported fire ant ,Hemiptera ,Mathematical and Statistical Techniques ,Species Specificity ,Species Colonization ,Animals ,Statistical Methods ,Symbiosis ,lcsh:Science ,Coccidae ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Ants ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Eukaryota ,Agriculture ,Aphididae ,Plants ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Hymenoptera ,Food web ,Insects ,010602 entomology ,Agronomy ,Aphids ,North America ,Physical Sciences ,lcsh:Q ,Introduced Species ,Delphacidae ,Mathematics ,Statistics (Mathematics) ,Research Article ,Forecasting - Abstract
Honeydew production by Hemiptera is an ecologically important process that facilitates mutualisms and increases nutrient cycling. Accurate estimates of the amount of honeydew available in a system are essential for quantifying food web dynamics, energy flow, and the potential growth of sooty mould that inhibits plant growth. Despite the importance of honeydew, there is no standardized method to estimate its production when intensive laboratory testing is not feasible. We developed two new models to predict honeydew production, one based on insect body mass and taxonomic family, and one based on body mass and life stage. We tested the accuracy of both models’ predictions for a diverse range of honeydew-producing hemipteran families (Aphididae, Pseudococcidae, Coccidae, Psyllidae, Aleyrodidae, Delphacidae, Cicadellidae). The method based on body mass and family provided more accurate estimates of honeydew production, due to large variation in honeydew production among families. We apply our methodology to a case study, the recalculation of honeydew available to invasive red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) in the United States. We find that the amount of honeydew may be an order of magnitude lower than that previously estimated (2.16 versus 21.6 grams of honeydew per day) and discuss possible reasons for the difference. We anticipate that being able to estimate honeydew production based on minimal biological information will have applications to agriculture, invasion biology, forestry, and carbon farming.
- Published
- 2018
34. Mechanisms of aggregation in an ant-tended treehopper: Attraction to mutualists is balanced by conspecific competition
- Author
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Manuel A. Morales and Andrew G. Zink
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Male ,Life Cycles ,Leaves ,Physiology ,Oviposition ,Population Dynamics ,lcsh:Medicine ,Insect ,Plant Science ,01 natural sciences ,Predation ,Reproductive Physiology ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,lcsh:Science ,Treehopper ,media_common ,Mutualism (biology) ,education.field_of_study ,Multidisciplinary ,Ecology ,Plant Anatomy ,Community structure ,Plants ,Attraction ,Insects ,Community Ecology ,Massachusetts ,Female ,Research Article ,Nymph ,Honeydew ,Competitive Behavior ,Arthropoda ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Population ,New York ,Biology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Hemiptera ,03 medical and health sciences ,Mutualism ,Animals ,education ,Symbiosis ,Community Structure ,Ecosystem ,Probability ,Population Density ,Ants ,lcsh:R ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Hymenoptera ,Nymphs ,Species Interactions ,030104 developmental biology ,lcsh:Q ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
Understanding the spatial structure of populations and communities has been a dominant focus of ecological research, and spatial structure is increasingly seen as critical for understanding population dynamics. Habitat (or host) preference is a proximate mechanism that can generate aggregation or overdispersion, lending insight into the ultimate consequences of observed spatial distributions. Publilia concava is a univoltine phloem-feeding insect that forms mutualistic associations with ants, which consume honeydew and protect treehoppers from predation. Treehopper adults and nymphs are aggregated at the scale of goldenrod plant stems, and previous studies have suggested that this aggregation is an adaptive response that increases feeding performance or maximizes benefits of ant-tending. Previous studies have also shown experimentally that individual treehoppers preferentially oviposit on plants with ants present, but a complimentary hypothesis that treehoppers prefer to oviposit near conspecifics (e.g., to take advantage of density-dependent ant attraction) remains untested. We show that, as expected, the probability of treehopper oviposition increases with ant-presence and relative ant abundance. However, we also find that treehopper oviposition decreases with increasing treehopper density. Thus our results are inconsistent with the hypothesis that treehopper aggregation is a socially cooperative strategy to attract ants; we suggest that aggregation is a form of conflict and an unavoidable by-product of individual responses to ant-tending levels.
- Published
- 2017
35. Dispersal strategies in the highly polygynous ant crematogaster (orthocrema) pygmaea forel (formicidae: Myrmicinae)
- Author
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Yves Quinet, Rachid Hamidi, Glauco Bezerra Martins Segundo, Matheus Torres Marinho Bezerril M.T.M.B. Fontenelle, Jean Christophe de Biseau, Thomas Bourguignon, Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement de Paris (iEES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Evolutio nary Biology and Ecology, Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Technology Graduate University, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), School of Life and Environm ental Sciences, University of Sydney, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU), Laboratorio de Entomolo gia Instituto Superior de Ciências Biomedicas, Universidade Estadual do Ceará (UECE), Fond National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq) [473939/2004-5], Fundagao Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (FUNCAP), Institut d'écologie et des sciences de l'environnement de Paris (IEES), Université Libre de Bruxelles [Bruxelles] (ULB), Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), Czech University of Life Sciences, and Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Université Paris-Est Créteil Val-de-Marne - Paris 12 (UPEC UP12)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Life Cycles ,Multiple-Queen Colonies ,Physiology ,Success ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Psychologie appliquée ,lcsh:Medicine ,Imported Fire Ant ,01 natural sciences ,Larvae ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Foraging ,lcsh:Science ,Polygyny ,Workers ,reproductive and urinary physiology ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Animal Behavior ,Number ,Thorax ,Sciences bio-médicales et agricoles ,Insects ,Laboratory Equipment ,Physiological Parameters ,Engineering and Technology ,Seasons ,Anatomy ,Biologie ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Crematogaster ,Hymenoptera-Formicidae ,Arthropoda ,Evolution ,Solenopsis-Invicta ,Population-Structure ,Storage Proteins ,Zoology ,Equipment ,010603 evolutionary biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Propagule ,Nectar ,Animals ,Behavior ,Ants ,lcsh:R ,Body Weight ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Laboratory Glassware ,Pupae ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Hymenoptera ,Brood ,030104 developmental biology ,Earth Sciences ,Biological dispersal ,lcsh:Q ,Developmental Biology - Abstract
In ants, dispersal strategies and morphology of female sexuals are generally linked to the mode of colony founding. In species using long-range dispersal tactics, queen/worker dimorphism is generally high and young queens are able to initiate new colonies by themselves, using their metabolic reserves. By contrast, in species using short-range dispersal strategies, queen/worker dimorphism is generally low and, due to their limited metabolic reserves, queens have lost the capacity to raise their brood alone and to found their colony independently. Moreover, polygyny is also often associated with short-range dispersal strategies, although the relationship between the number of queens and the dispersal strategy in ants is not clear-cut. Here, dispersal strategies were investigated in C. pygmaea, a highly polygynous and polydomous ant species from northeastern Brazil. Field observations and laboratory experiments show that this ant exhibits a suite of traits that are more commonly associated with long-range dispersal and independent colony foundation: functional wings in both males and females, high queen/worker dimorphism, strong weight loss in mature queens, nuptial flights and, in the lab, ability of young queens to found new colonies in haplometrotic conditions. On the other hand, this species shows a high degree of polygyny with a strong seasonal component, and, at least under laboratory conditions, mature queens seem able to develop propagules if they are accompanied by at least 10 workers. These features strongly suggest that (1) some of the gynes do not engage in a long-range dispersal but become new queens in their mother colony and (2) that budding events are possible in this species. We therefore speculate that C. pygmaea has a dual dispersal strategy probably related to environmental conditions: some gynes engage in long-range dispersal followed by independent colony foundation at the beginning of rainy season, while others mate in the parental colony and are re-Adopted leading to high polygyny. During the rainy season, budding events can lead to colony extension and increased polydomy. Polydomy is commonly thought to improve resource discovery and exploitation through decentralized foraging behavior, a significant advantage during the rainy season when food ressources (mainly floral/ extrafloral nectaries and hemipteran honeydew) are more abundant and when colony needs for food supplies are highest., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published
- Published
- 2017
36. Frequent sugar feeding behavior by Aedes aegypti in Bamako, Mali makes them ideal candidates for control with attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSB)
- Author
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Günter C. Müller, Edita E. Revay, Sekou F. Traore, Amy Junnila, Kristopher L. Arheart, Yosef Schlein, Amadou Traoré, Seydou Doumbia, Mohamad M. Traore, John C. Beier, Vasiliy D. Kravchenko, Seydou Mamadou Dembele, Petrányi Gergely, Rui De Xue, and Fatoumata Sissoko
- Subjects
Male ,0301 basic medicine ,Insecticides ,Sucrose ,Mosquito Control ,Physiology ,Disease Vectors ,Mali ,Disaccharides ,Mosquitoes ,Toxicology ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,Aedes ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Flowering Plants ,2. Zero hunger ,Papayas ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Zika Virus Infection ,Organic Compounds ,Eukaryota ,Plants ,Attraction ,Body Fluids ,Insects ,Chemistry ,Infectious Diseases ,Blood ,Physical Sciences ,Medicine ,Female ,Anatomy ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,Science ,030231 tropical medicine ,Carbohydrates ,Aedes aegypti ,Aedes Aegypti ,Fruits ,03 medical and health sciences ,Animals ,Sugar ,Attractive toxic sugar baits ,Ricinus ,Host (biology) ,Organic Chemistry ,fungi ,Organisms ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Feeding Behavior ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Insect Vectors ,Species Interactions ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Vector (epidemiology) - Abstract
BackgroundCurrent tools and strategies are not sufficient to reliably address threats and outbreaks of arboviruses including Zika, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Hence there is a growing public health challenge to identify the best new control tools to use against the vector Aedes aegypti. In this study, we investigated Ae. aegypti sugar feeding strategies in Bamako, Mali, to determine if this species can be controlled effectively using attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSB).MethodologyWe determined the relative attraction of Ae. aegypti males and females to a variety of sugar sources including flowers, fruits, seedpods, and honeydew in the laboratory and using plant-baited traps in the field. Next, we observed the rhythm of blood feeding versus sugar feeding activity of Ae. aegypti in vegetation and in open areas. Finally, we studied the effectiveness of spraying vegetation with ATSB on Ae. aegypti in sugar rich (lush vegetation) and in sugar poor (sparse vegetation) urban environments.Principal findingsMale and female laboratory sugar feeding rates within 24 h, on 8 of 16 plants offered were over 80%. The survival rates of mosquitoes on several plant sources were nearly as long as that of controls maintained on sucrose solution. In the field, females were highly attracted to 11 of 20 sugar sources, and 8 of these were attractive to males. Peak periods of host attraction for blood-feeding and sugar feeding in open areas were nearly identical and occurred shortly after sunrise and around sunset. In shaded areas, the first sugar-seeking peak occurred between 11:30 and 12:30 while the second was from 16:30 to 17:30. In a 50-day field trial, ATSB significantly reduced mean numbers of landing / biting female Ae. aegypti in the two types of vegetation. At sugar poor sites, the mean pre-treatment catch of 20.51 females on day 14 was reduced 70-fold to 0.29 on day 50. At sugar rich sites, the mean pre-treatment catch of 32.46 females on day 14 was reduced 10-fold to a mean of 3.20 females on day 50.ConclusionsThis is the first study to show how the vector Ae. aegypti depends on environmental resources of sugar for feeding and survival. The demonstration that Ae. aegypti populations rapidly collapsed after ATSB treatment, in both sugar rich and sugar poor environments, is strong evidence that Ae. aegypti is sugar-feeding frequently. Indeed, this study clearly demonstrates that Ae. aegypti mosquitoes depend on natural sugar resources, and a promising new method for vector control, ATSB, can be highly effective in the fight against Aedes-transmitted diseases.
- Published
- 2019
37. A Look into the Cell: Honey Storage in Honey Bees, Apis mellifera
- Author
-
Michael Eyer, Vincent Dietemann, and Peter J. Neumann
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,lcsh:Medicine ,Plant Science ,01 natural sciences ,Beeswax ,Diagnostic Radiology ,Animal Products ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Foraging ,lcsh:Science ,Tomography ,Multidisciplinary ,Animal Behavior ,Behavior, Animal ,630 Agriculture ,Organic Compounds ,Radiology and Imaging ,Plant Anatomy ,food and beverages ,Agriculture ,Ripening ,Honey ,Bees ,Insects ,Chemistry ,Horticulture ,visual_art ,Physical Sciences ,visual_art.visual_art_medium ,Pollen ,590 Animals (Zoology) ,Organic Materials ,Honey Bees ,Switzerland ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,Plant Nectar ,Imaging Techniques ,Materials Science ,Carbohydrates ,Neuroimaging ,Context (language use) ,Biology ,Research and Analysis Methods ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Imaging, Three-Dimensional ,Diagnostic Medicine ,Botany ,Animals ,Nectar ,Sugar ,Nutrition ,Behavior ,Organic Chemistry ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Chemical Compounds ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Invertebrates ,Hymenoptera ,Diet ,Computed Axial Tomography ,010602 entomology ,Food ,Waxes ,lcsh:Q ,Tomography, X-Ray Computed ,Zoology ,Neuroscience - Abstract
Honey bees, Apis species, obtain carbohydrates from nectar and honeydew. These resources are ripened into honey in wax cells that are capped for long-term storage. These stores are used to overcome dearth periods when foraging is not possible. Despite the economic and ecological importance of honey, little is known about the processes of its production by workers. Here, we monitored the usage of storage cells and the ripening process of honey in free-flying A. mellifera colonies. We provided the colonies with solutions of different sugar concentrations to reflect the natural influx of nectar with varying quality. Since the amount of carbohydrates in a solution affects its density, we used computer tomography to measure the sugar concentration of cell content over time. The data show the occurrence of two cohorts of cells with different provisioning and ripening dynamics. The relocation of the content of many cells before final storage was part of the ripening process, because sugar concentration of the content removed was lower than that of content deposited. The results confirm the mixing of solutions of different concentrations in cells and show that honey is an inhomogeneous matrix. The last stage of ripening occurred when cell capping had already started, indicating a race against water absorption. The storage and ripening processes as well as resource use were context dependent because their dynamics changed with sugar concentration of the food. Our results support hypotheses regarding honey production proposed in earlier studies and provide new insights into the mechanisms involved.
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. The Effect of Temperature Increases on an Ant-Hemiptera-Plant Interaction
- Author
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Heloise Gibb and Katayo Sagata
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Atmospheric Science ,Population Dynamics ,lcsh:Medicine ,Plant Science ,01 natural sciences ,Trees ,Abundance (ecology) ,lcsh:Science ,Trophic level ,Uncategorized ,Climatology ,Eucalyptus ,Multidisciplinary ,Ecology ,biology ,Temperature ,Hemiptera ,Insects ,Plant-Insect Interactions ,Research Article ,Honeydew ,Arthropoda ,Climate Change ,Insect Physiology ,010603 evolutionary biology ,Ecosystems ,Plant-Animal Interactions ,Forest ecology ,Animals ,Animal Physiology ,Computer Simulation ,Ecosystem ,Invertebrate Physiology ,Models, Statistical ,Population Biology ,Ants ,Plant Ecology ,Ecology and Environmental Sciences ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Invertebrates ,Hymenoptera ,Species Interactions ,010602 entomology ,Standing crop ,Earth Sciences ,lcsh:Q ,Zoology ,Entomology - Abstract
Global temperature increases are significantly altering species distributions and the structure of ecological communities. However, the impact of temperature increases on multispecies interactions is poorly understood. We used an ant-Hemiptera-plant interaction to examine the potential outcomes of predicted temperature increases for each partner and for the availability of honeydew, a keystone resource in many forest ecosystems. We re-created this interaction in growth cabinets using predicted mean summer temperatures for Melbourne, Australia, for the years 2011 (23° C), 2050 (25° C) and 2100 (29° C), respectively, under an unmitigated greenhouse gas emission scenario. Plant growth and ant foraging activities increased, while scale insect growth, abundance and size, honeydew standing crop per tree and harvesting by ants decreased at 29° C, relative to lower temperatures (23 and 25° C). This led to decreased scale insect infestations of plants and reduced honeydew standing crop per tree at the highest temperature. At all temperatures, honeydew standing crop was lower when ants harvested the honeydew from scale insects, but the impact of ant harvesting was particularly significant at 29° C, where combined effects of temperature and ants reduced honeydew standing crop to below detectable levels. Although temperature increases in the next 35 years will have limited effects on this system, by the end of this century, warmer temperatures may cause the availability of honeydew to decline. Decline of honeydew may have far-reaching trophic effects on honeydew and ant-mediated interactions. However, field-based studies that consider the full complexity of ecosystems may be required to elucidate these impacts.
- Published
- 2016
39. Nectar-providing plants enhance the energetic state of herbivores as well as their parasitoids under field conditions
- Author
-
Felix L. Wäckers, Karin Winkler, Delia M. Pinto, and Multitrophic Interactions (MTI)
- Subjects
Sector Fruit ,Honeydew ,Applied Plant Research, Fruit Research Unit ,Biological pest control ,Applied Plant Research ,natural enemies ,medicine.disease_cause ,Predation ,Nectar source ,food source ,oligosaccharides ,Pollen ,Botany ,medicine ,Nectar ,insects ,Lobularia maritima ,Herbivore ,Ecology ,biology ,biological-control ,biology.organism_classification ,Praktijkonderzoek Plant & Omgeving, Sector Fruit ,Agronomy ,Insect Science ,Praktijkonderzoek Plant & Omgeving ,Fruit Research Unit ,lepidoptera ,pests ,resources ,management ,honeydew - Abstract
1. The use of flowering vegetation has been widely advocated as a strategy for providing parasitoids and predators with nectar and pollen. However, their herbivorous hosts and prey may exploit floral food sources as well. 2. Previous laboratory studies have shown that not all flower species are equally suitable in providing accessible nectar. Relatively little is known about actual nectar exploitation under field conditions. 3. The present study investigates nectar exploitation by the pest, Plutella xylostella, and its parasitoid, Diadegma semiclausum, under field conditions and examines whether floral nectar exploitation in the field can be predicted based on controlled laboratory studies. 4. Insects were collected from fields bordered by flowering margins containing Fagopyrum esculentum, Lobularia maritima, Anethum graveolens, Centaurea jacea or the grass Lolium perenne (control). Whole insect bodies were individually assayed by HPLC to establish their sugar profile as a measure of the level of energy reserves and the degree of food source use. 5. The average overall sugar content of P. xylostella and D. semiclausum collected in fields bordered by flowering margins was significantly higher than those of individuals collected from grass-bordered control plots. To the authors' knowledge, this represents the first demonstration that nectar-providing plants enhance the energetic state of herbivores under field conditions. 6. In contrast to earlier laboratory studies, the present study did not find elevated sugar contents in P. xylostella and D. semiclausum individuals collected from fields bordered by buckwheat (F. esculentum). 7. The present study shows widespread sugar feeding by both the herbivore and its parasitoid. It also shows that laboratory studies establishing nectar exploitation under controlled conditions can not always be extrapolated to actual exploitation under field conditions. This emphasises the importance of studying field-collected insects with regard to food source use and nutritional status.
- Published
- 2009
40. Carbohydrates on Silverleaf Whitefly Contaminated Cottons.
- Author
-
Brushwood, Donald E.
- Subjects
COTTON ,CARBOHYDRATES ,HONEYDEW ,INSECTS ,BEMISIA argentifolii ,SUGARS ,TEXTILES ,AGRICULTURE - Abstract
Honeydew contamination from insects has become a major problem in the worldwide production of cotton. In certain western regions of the U.S., particularly in the last decade, stickiness on harvested cotton caused by the presence of the silverleaf whitefly has caused problems for growers, ginners, and textile processors. Whitefly sugars, unlike natural sugars, are deposited randomly in heavy sticky specks on the lint surface. Honeydew has been found to contain specific sugars that are not present on normal non-insect contaminated cottons. Quantitative determinations of the individual sugar contents from a large number of whitefly contaminated cottons and their relationship to total reducing sugar measurements and lint stickiness as measured by the thermodetector are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1998
41. Cotton stickiness: Causes, consequences & remedies.
- Author
-
Kumar, R. Senthil
- Subjects
COTTON ,INSECTS ,SUGAR ,HONEYDEW ,HEAT ,MOISTURE - Abstract
The article discusses the causes, effects on different departments, economics, determination techniques and remedies of cotton stickiness. Contaminants that caused cotton stickiness are mainly sugar deposits produced either by the cotton plant itself or by feeding insects, with the latter being the most common source of stickiness. Heat and moisture are the two main causes of sugars or honeydew to become sticky. The effects of stickiness on ginning, spinning and weaving are discussed. The methods of detecting and measuring stickiness are given.
- Published
- 2008
42. Honeydew foraging by birds in an Atlantic Forest fragment of Minas Gerais State, Brazil
- Author
-
Fernando Cesar Cascelli de Azevedo and Fagner Daniel Teixeira
- Subjects
insetos ,Honeydew ,excreção ,biology ,Ecology ,conexões tróficas ,Foraging ,trophic connections ,manobras comportamentais ,biology.organism_classification ,Pseudopiptadenia ,behavior maneuvers ,Serra de São José ,Atlantic forest ,excretion ,Mimosa scabrella ,insects ,Energy source - Abstract
Honeydew foraging by birds has been extensively documented in recent years. However, this interaction has been poorly documented in Brazil, with predominance of few species of birds foraging only in Mimosa scabrella trees. With the objective of describing the behavior of birds interacting with scale insects associated with trees, we conducted a study at the Serra de São José, Tiradentes, in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Observations were recorded from June to July 2012. We observed 13 species of birds feeding on honeydew scale insects, eight never previously recorded. We observed individuals using aerial and surface maneuvers to collect the honeydew on the branches or reaching the droppings below the branches. These species were observed foraging individually, in pairs and also in large groups. Our results suggest that honeydew excretion from scale insects associated with Pseudopiptadenia leptostachya trees represents an important energy source for local birds as observed in fragments of Atlantic Forest in the Minas Gerais State, southeast region of Brazil. O uso de excreções líquidas açucaradas por aves tem sido amplamente divulgado nos últimos anos. No entanto, estudos acerca desta interação são escassos no Brasil, sendo que os poucos existentes relatam apenas algumas espécies de aves forrageando a excreção de insetos presentes em uma única espécie de árvore (Mimosa scabrella). Com o objetivo de descrever o comportamento de aves interagindo com insetos excretores de líquidos açucarados associados com árvores, nós conduzimos um estudo na Serra de São José, município de Tiradentes em Minas Gerais, Brasil. Nossas observações foram feitas de Junho a Julho de 2012 e 13 espécies de aves foram registradas forrageando a excreção, sendo que oito delas nunca haviam sido anteriormente registradas envolvidas neste tipo de interação. Nós observamos indivíduos usando manobras aéreas e na superfície das árvores para coletar a excreção nos galhos ou alcançar gotículas debaixo dos troncos. Estas espécies foram observadas forrageando individualmente, em pares ou em grandes grupos. Nossos resultados sugerem que a excreção açucarada excretada por insetos associados com árvores mamica-de-porca (Pseudopiptadenia leptostachya), representa uma importante fonte de energia para as aves, conforme observado em fragmentos de mata Atlântica no Estado de Minas Gerais, sudeste do Brasil.
- Published
- 2013
43. Honeydew and its importance to birds in beech forests of South Island, New Zealand
- Author
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Gaze, P. D. and Clout, Michael N.
- Published
- 1983
44. CUTANEOUS EFFECTS FROM RAIN-TREE HONEYDEW AND APHIS INSECTS.
- Author
-
Mitchell, J. C.
- Subjects
INSECTS ,COGNITION disorders ,DELUSIONS ,ILLUSION (Philosophy) ,HONEYDEW ,HONEY - Abstract
Honeydew and aphis insects which fell from a tree were responsible for paraesthesiae in a woman. Her condition was incorrectly diagnosed as delusions of parasitosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1975
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. Longevity and fecundity of Liriomyza trifolii (Diptera: Agromyzidae)exposed to tomato foliage and honeydew in the laboratory
- Author
-
Schuster, D. J. and Zoebisch, T. G.
- Subjects
TOMATOES ,INSECTS ,HONEYDEW ,FERTILITY - Published
- 1987
46. Polyrhachis simplex. The weaver ant of Israel
- Author
-
Jacob Ofer, Cora, Joe, and Johnson, Norm
- Subjects
Entomology ,Honeydew ,Weaver ant ,Arthropoda ,Fauna ,Zoology ,Formicinae ,taxonomy ,Camponotini ,Animalia ,insects ,Formicidae ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,biodiversity ,Larva ,biology ,Polyrhachis ,Ecology ,fungi ,Hexapoda ,food and beverages ,biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition ,Ant colony ,biology.organism_classification ,Hymenoptera ,ANT ,Vespoidea ,Insect Science ,behavior and behavior mechanisms ,population characteristics ,Agronomy and Crop Science - Abstract
The Weaver Ant,Polyrhachis simplex, which in India belongs to a tropical fauna, occurs in Israel in a circumscribed desert region which comprises the western limit of its spread. The biology ofP. simplex features a number of highly interesting phenomena: 1. Weaving occupies a central position in the life of the colony. The workers construct the nests with the aid of silk secreted by the larvae. The silk glands of the larva are consequently highly developed. 2. Aphids of several species are visited by the weaver ant for their honeydew, which constitutes a primary food source for the ant. 3. Seasonal vertical migration of the ants occurs twice a year-in the winter and in the late spring. 4. «Cemeteries» are marked off by the ants at considerable distances from the nests, for the purpose of disposing of their dead. A single «cemetery» may sarve several widely-separated ant colonies.
- Published
- 1970
47. The Effects of Elevated Host-Plant Cadmium and Copper on the Performance of the Aphid Aphis fabae (Homoptera: Aphididae)
- Author
-
Crawford, L. A., Hodkinson, I. D., and Lepp, N. W.
- Published
- 1995
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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