A System for Harvesting Eggs from the Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle

We describe a system for harvesting eggs from a predatory insect, the pink-spotted lady beetle, Coleomegilla maculata De Geer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Adult beetles placed in square, transparent containers that included oviposition substrates hanging from the top of the cage deposited eggs on th...

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Main Authors: Margaret L. Allen, Eric W. Riddick
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2012-01-01
Series:Psyche: A Journal of Entomology
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/923653
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author Margaret L. Allen
Eric W. Riddick
author_facet Margaret L. Allen
Eric W. Riddick
author_sort Margaret L. Allen
collection DOAJ
description We describe a system for harvesting eggs from a predatory insect, the pink-spotted lady beetle, Coleomegilla maculata De Geer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Adult beetles placed in square, transparent containers that included oviposition substrates hanging from the top of the cage deposited eggs on the materials provided. We harvested eggs from these substrates in quantities sufficient for either destructive sampling or synchronous development of larvae. We evaluated effects of crowding inside cages; effects of a chemical attractant on oviposition behavior; egg cannibalism. Females preferred a textured surface rather than a smooth, waxy one for laying eggs. Crowding inhibited oviposition of beetles. Presence of a chemical attractant (methyl salicylate) did not significantly improve oviposition. This paper describes an inexpensive system for harvesting eggs from C. maculata. Refinement of this system should improve oviposition and reduce cannibalism.
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publishDate 2012-01-01
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series Psyche: A Journal of Entomology
spelling doaj-art-60ba8cedeed4409ebac33882500c04df2025-08-20T03:34:56ZengWileyPsyche: A Journal of Entomology0033-26151687-74382012-01-01201210.1155/2012/923653923653A System for Harvesting Eggs from the Pink-Spotted Lady BeetleMargaret L. Allen0Eric W. Riddick1National Biological Control Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 59 Lee Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USANational Biological Control Laboratory, USDA-ARS, 59 Lee Road, Stoneville, MS 38776, USAWe describe a system for harvesting eggs from a predatory insect, the pink-spotted lady beetle, Coleomegilla maculata De Geer (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Adult beetles placed in square, transparent containers that included oviposition substrates hanging from the top of the cage deposited eggs on the materials provided. We harvested eggs from these substrates in quantities sufficient for either destructive sampling or synchronous development of larvae. We evaluated effects of crowding inside cages; effects of a chemical attractant on oviposition behavior; egg cannibalism. Females preferred a textured surface rather than a smooth, waxy one for laying eggs. Crowding inhibited oviposition of beetles. Presence of a chemical attractant (methyl salicylate) did not significantly improve oviposition. This paper describes an inexpensive system for harvesting eggs from C. maculata. Refinement of this system should improve oviposition and reduce cannibalism.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/923653
spellingShingle Margaret L. Allen
Eric W. Riddick
A System for Harvesting Eggs from the Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle
Psyche: A Journal of Entomology
title A System for Harvesting Eggs from the Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle
title_full A System for Harvesting Eggs from the Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle
title_fullStr A System for Harvesting Eggs from the Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle
title_full_unstemmed A System for Harvesting Eggs from the Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle
title_short A System for Harvesting Eggs from the Pink-Spotted Lady Beetle
title_sort system for harvesting eggs from the pink spotted lady beetle
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/923653
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