Hippodamia convergens: Difference between revisions
→Parental care: Rm sentence drawing a conclusion from the scientific study that is not proven to be true; Michaud & Qureshi offer possible explanations while stating that the reason that subset was unable to reproduce is not conclusive. Also reworded first sentence. |
→Life Cycle: Mv sentence on diapause from →Parental care: to here as it was already covered here. Since the study was done on conditions simulating west Kansas summers, changed general statement to "Some populations" to accurately reflect source. |
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==Habitat== |
==Habitat== |
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'' |
''H. convergens'' tend to be more successful and more likely to survive to adulthood in warmer temperatures.<ref name="One">{{cite journal |last1=Obrycki |first1=John J. |last2=Tauber |first2=Maurice J. |title=Thermal Requirements for Development of Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) |journal=Annals of the Entomological Society of America |date=15 November 1982 |volume=75 |issue=6 |pages=678–683 |doi=10.1093/aesa/75.6.678 |url=https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/75.6.678 |access-date=5 April 2024 |issn=1938-2901}}</ref> |
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In some areas, they gather on sunflower patches, having moved from wheat fields. They use the [[Petiole (botany)|petioles]] of the sunflowers to hydrate, particularly in arid summer months.<ref name="MQ-1016">{{cite journal |last1=Michaud |first1=J.P. |last2=Qureshi |first2=Jawwad A. |title=Reproductive diapause in Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and its life history consequences |journal=Biological Control |date=November 2006 |volume=39 |issue=2 |pages=193–200 |doi=10.1016/j.biocontrol.2006.04.004 |hdl=2097/13513 |issn=1049-9644}}</ref> They populate grasslands, forests, agricultural fields, gardens, and national parks.<ref name="Four"/> |
In some areas, they gather on sunflower patches, having moved from wheat fields. They use the [[Petiole (botany)|petioles]] of the sunflowers to hydrate, particularly in arid summer months.<ref name="MQ-1016">{{cite journal |last1=Michaud |first1=J.P. |last2=Qureshi |first2=Jawwad A. |title=Reproductive diapause in Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and its life history consequences |journal=Biological Control |date=November 2006 |volume=39 |issue=2 |pages=193–200 |doi=10.1016/j.biocontrol.2006.04.004 |hdl=2097/13513 |issn=1049-9644}}</ref> They populate grasslands, forests, agricultural fields, gardens, and national parks.<ref name="Four"/> |
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Upon reaching the adult stage, females feed on fats and proteins for a week. After this period, the production of juvenile hormone increases, which stimulates ovary maturation. This hormone also causes a behavior that results in long distance migration.<ref name="Six">{{cite journal |last1=Flint |first1=Mary Louise |last2=Dreistadt |first2=Steve H. |title=Interactions among convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens) releases, aphid populations, and rose cultivar |journal=Biological Control |date=July 2005 |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=38–46 |doi=10.1016/j.biocontrol.2005.03.019 |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2005.03.019 |access-date=5 April 2024 |issn=1049-9644}}</ref> |
Upon reaching the adult stage, females feed on fats and proteins for a week. After this period, the production of juvenile hormone increases, which stimulates ovary maturation. This hormone also causes a behavior that results in long distance migration.<ref name="Six">{{cite journal |last1=Flint |first1=Mary Louise |last2=Dreistadt |first2=Steve H. |title=Interactions among convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens) releases, aphid populations, and rose cultivar |journal=Biological Control |date=July 2005 |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=38–46 |doi=10.1016/j.biocontrol.2005.03.019 |url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocontrol.2005.03.019 |access-date=5 April 2024 |issn=1049-9644}}</ref> |
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In the western United States, these beetles may spend up to nine months in [[diapause]] in large groups in mountain valleys.<ref name="CU"/> |
In the western United States, these beetles may spend up to nine months in [[diapause]] in large groups in mountain valleys.<ref name="CU"/> Some populations have been shown to undergo diapause when nutrients are scarce, using limited food resources to develop fat bodies and postpone the onset of reproduction until they can find a consistent and sufficient food source.<ref name="MQ-1016"/> |
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==Biology== |
==Biology== |
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The first larvae that hatch in each batch may start by eating the unhatched eggs. This may provide energy for the larvae before they find any aphids. Fourth-[[instar]] larvae may consume about fifty aphids per day and adults may eat about twenty. When aphids are scarce, the adults can eat [[Honeydew (secretion)|honeydew]], [[nectar]] and [[pollen]] or even petals and other soft parts of plants.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hagen |first=Kenneth S. |year=1960 |title=Biological Control with Lady Beetles |journal=Plants and Gardens: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Record |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=28–35 }}</ref> |
The first larvae that hatch in each batch may start by eating the unhatched eggs. This may provide energy for the larvae before they find any aphids. Fourth-[[instar]] larvae may consume about fifty aphids per day and adults may eat about twenty. When aphids are scarce, the adults can eat [[Honeydew (secretion)|honeydew]], [[nectar]] and [[pollen]] or even petals and other soft parts of plants.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hagen |first=Kenneth S. |year=1960 |title=Biological Control with Lady Beetles |journal=Plants and Gardens: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Record |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=28–35 }}</ref> |
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Both larvae and adult '' |
Both larvae and adult ''H. convergens'' primarily consume aphids. They are active hunters and the larvae will start searching for prey almost immediately upon hatching. ''H. convergens'' feed on other soft-bodied insects such as [[Scale insect|scales]] and [[thrips]]. They will consume pollen and nectar from flowers when the usual insect prey is scarce. They are also known to exhibit cannibalistic behaviors when food is especially scarce.<ref name="Four">{{cite web |last1=Aristizábal |first1=Luis F. |last2=Arthurs |first2=Steven P. |date=2021-09-21 |title=Convergent Lady Beetle ''Hippodamia convergens'' Guérin-Méneville (Insecta: Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) |url=https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1037 |website=[[Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences|University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences]] |access-date=6 April 2024}}</ref> |
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==Biological control== |
==Biological control== |
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==Parental care== |
==Parental care== |
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''H. convergens'' have been known to undergo diapause when nutrients are scarce, using limited food resources to develop fat bodies and postpone the onset of reproduction until they can find a consistent and sufficient food source.<ref name="MQ-1016"/> |
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Aggregations of ''H. convergens'' that occur in the spring are generally made up of immature adult females. These females are not ready to mate and therefore do not oviposit on the plants where they aggregate. ''H. convergens'' generally disperse from an aggregation and leave a particular feeding ground after 1-2 days, even when live prey is still present.<ref name="Six"/> |
Aggregations of ''H. convergens'' that occur in the spring are generally made up of immature adult females. These females are not ready to mate and therefore do not oviposit on the plants where they aggregate. ''H. convergens'' generally disperse from an aggregation and leave a particular feeding ground after 1-2 days, even when live prey is still present.<ref name="Six"/> |
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Revision as of 19:13, 6 April 2024
 | This article may contain improper use of non-free material. (April 2024) |
| Convergent lady beetle | |
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.jpg)
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| Sucking on an aphid, Rock Creek Park | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Infraorder: | Cucujiformia |
| Family: | Coccinellidae |
| Genus: | Hippodamia |
| Species: | H. convergens
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| Binomial name | |
| Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville, 1842
| |
Hippodamia convergens, commonly known as the convergent lady beetle, is one of the most common lady beetles in North America and is found throughout the continent. Aphids form their main diet and they are used for the biological control of these pests.
Range
Convergent lady beetles are native to North America,[1] but have also been imported and established in South America by importing beetles from California.[2][3]
Habitat
H. convergens tend to be more successful and more likely to survive to adulthood in warmer temperatures.[1] In some areas, they gather on sunflower patches, having moved from wheat fields. They use the petioles of the sunflowers to hydrate, particularly in arid summer months.[4] They populate grasslands, forests, agricultural fields, gardens, and national parks.[5]
Life cycle
The female lady beetle lays 200 to 300 eggs over several months during spring and early summer. The eggs are small and spindle-shaped and are laid near the prey in upright batches of fifteen to thirty eggs. The larvae are dark and somewhat alligator-shaped.[6]
Once the larvae begin feeding, they grow quickly and molt four times over a period of up to a month. The pupal stage lasts about a week and mating takes place soon after adult eclosion. If the food supply is abundant, the female may start laying within about a week of mating, but if it is scarce, she may wait for up to nine months.[7]
Upon reaching the adult stage, females feed on fats and proteins for a week. After this period, the production of juvenile hormone increases, which stimulates ovary maturation. This hormone also causes a behavior that results in long distance migration.[8]
In the western United States, these beetles may spend up to nine months in diapause in large groups in mountain valleys.[6] Some populations have been shown to undergo diapause when nutrients are scarce, using limited food resources to develop fat bodies and postpone the onset of reproduction until they can find a consistent and sufficient food source.[4]
Biology
The first larvae that hatch in each batch may start by eating the unhatched eggs. This may provide energy for the larvae before they find any aphids. Fourth-instar larvae may consume about fifty aphids per day and adults may eat about twenty. When aphids are scarce, the adults can eat honeydew, nectar and pollen or even petals and other soft parts of plants.[9]
Both larvae and adult H. convergens primarily consume aphids. They are active hunters and the larvae will start searching for prey almost immediately upon hatching. H. convergens feed on other soft-bodied insects such as scales and thrips. They will consume pollen and nectar from flowers when the usual insect prey is scarce. They are also known to exhibit cannibalistic behaviors when food is especially scarce.[5]
Biological control
Convergent lady beetles have been used for augmentative biological control to temporarily increase predator numbers to control aphids. Because of the overwintering habits of non-reproductive adults, released beetles tend to quickly disperse from their release site. Adults released in enclosed settings such as greenhouses can contribute to lower aphid numbers.[10]
However, aggregation tends to occur before the adults have fully matured, so they are unable to lay eggs at that point. Additionally, they tend to disperse before mating and laying eggs, so eggs are not left behind to hatch and continue the cycle of controlling the aphid population.[11]
This species was not included in the list of predatory insects usable for population control in the 2021 guidelines issued by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.[12]
Parental care
Aggregations of H. convergens that occur in the spring are generally made up of immature adult females. These females are not ready to mate and therefore do not oviposit on the plants where they aggregate. H. convergens generally disperse from an aggregation and leave a particular feeding ground after 1-2 days, even when live prey is still present.[8]
Behavior
H. convergens use chemical cues and pheromone detection to seek out aphid honeydew secretions. These honeydew secretions can also provide H. convergens with information on the vulnerability and prey suitability of a specific aphid population, determined by factors such as abundance, size, escapability, and nutritional quality. In theory, there could be many plants infested with aphids in an area, but H. convergens will only go after a few of the plants based on the suitability of aphids for preying.[11]
Larvae generally move from one plant to another by traveling across leaves. However, they are able to travel via soil if the leaves between plants cannot be crossed.[11]
Natural enemies
Entomopathogenic fungi used as biopesticides such as Metarhizium anisopliae, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, and Beauveria bassiana can infect larvae.[2]
Geocoris bullatus and Nabis alternatus prey on H. convergens eggs.[5]
H. convergens may be a host for different invertebrate parasites such as Dinocampus coccinellae, Homalotylus terminalis, and Tetrapolipus hippodamiae.[13]
References
- ^ a b Obrycki, John J.; Tauber, Maurice J. (15 November 1982). "Thermal Requirements for Development of Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)". Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 75 (6): 678–683. doi:10.1093/aesa/75.6.678. ISSN 1938-2901. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ a b Obrycki, John J.; Kring, Timothy J. (January 1998). "Predaceous Coccinellidae in Biological Control". Annual Review of Entomology. 43 (1): 295–321. doi:10.1146/annurev.ento.43.1.295. PMID 15012392.
- ^ Obrycki, John J.; Krafsur, Elliot S.; Bogran, Carlos E.; Gomez, Luis E.; Cave, Ronald E. (2001). "Comparative Studies of Three Populations of the Lady Beetle Predator Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)". The Florida Entomologist. 84 (1): 55–62. doi:10.2307/3496663. ISSN 0015-4040. JSTOR 3496663. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ a b Michaud, J.P.; Qureshi, Jawwad A. (November 2006). "Reproductive diapause in Hippodamia convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and its life history consequences". Biological Control. 39 (2): 193–200. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2006.04.004. hdl:2097/13513. ISSN 1049-9644.
- ^ a b c Aristizábal, Luis F.; Arthurs, Steven P. (2021-09-21). "Convergent Lady Beetle Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville (Insecta: Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)". University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
- ^ a b "Hippodamia convergens | (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) | Convergent Lady Beetle". Cornell University. Archived from the original on 2000-10-19. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
- ^ Balduf, W. V. (1935). The Bionomics of Entomophagous Coleoptera. St. Louis, MO: John S. Swift Co.
- ^ a b Flint, Mary Louise; Dreistadt, Steve H. (July 2005). "Interactions among convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens) releases, aphid populations, and rose cultivar". Biological Control. 34 (1): 38–46. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2005.03.019. ISSN 1049-9644. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
- ^ Hagen, Kenneth S. (1960). "Biological Control with Lady Beetles". Plants and Gardens: The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Record. 16 (3): 28–35.
- ^ Obrycki, John J.; Harwood, James D.; Kring, Timothy J.; O'Neil, Robert J. (November 2009). "Aphidophagy by Coccinellidae: Application of biological control in agroecosystems". Biological Control. 51 (2): 244–254. Bibcode:2009BiolC..51..244O. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2009.05.009.
- ^ a b c Purandare, Swapna R.; Tenhumberg, Brigitte (June 2012). "Influence of aphid honeydew on the foraging behaviour of Hippodamia convergens larvae". Ecological Entomology. 37 (3): 184–192. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2311.2012.01351.x. ISSN 0307-6946.
- ^ LeBeck, Lynn M.; Leppla, Norman C. (2021). "2021 Guidelines for Purchasing and Using Commercial Natural Enemies and Biopesticides in North America". University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Archived from the original on 2021-05-08. Retrieved 2024-04-06.
- ^ Bjørnson, S. (March 2008). "Natural enemies of the convergent lady beetle, Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville: Their inadvertent importation and potential significance for augmentative biological control". Biological Control. 44 (3): 305–311. Bibcode:2008BiolC..44..305B. doi:10.1016/j.biocontrol.2007.10.001. ISSN 1049-9644.
External links
- Natural Enemies Gallery | Convergent Lady Beetle. University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program.
- Biological Control: Lady Beetles | (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Cornell University College of Agricaulture and Life Sciences. Archived from the original on 27 November 2011.
- OSU Agricultural Extension Fact Sheet - ENT-45
- Species Hippodamia convergens - Convergent Lady Beetle. Bugs Guides.
- Convergent Lady Beetle Video on Vimeo Macro videography of Convergent Lady Beetle colony