Do Interactions among Ladybeetles Affect their Fitness and Predatory Behavior?

• Published in: Journal of insect behavior 2022-11, Vol.35 (5-6), p.195-212
• Main Authors: Ferreira, Jennifer O., Silva-Torres, Christian S. A., Carmo, Enggel B. S., Laumann, Raul A., Borges, Miguel, Blassioli-Moraes, Maria Carolina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adults; Agriculture; Animal Ecology; Behavioral Sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Chemical stimuli; Coccoidea; Conspecifics; Cryptolaemus montrouzieri; Entomology; Evolutionary Biology; Exposure; Fecundity; Females; Fertility; Instars; Larvae; Life Sciences; Males; Neurobiology; Predation; Predators; Predatory behavior; Reproduction; Volatile compounds; Volatiles
• ISSN: 0892-7553; 1572-8889
• DOI: 10.1007/s10905-022-09810-7

Tenuisvalvae notata , native to South America and  Cryptolaemus montrouzieri , native to Australia are ladybeetle predators of mealybugs. They can encounter and interact with each other while foraging; however, the outcomes of these interactions are not known. To address this knowledge gap, we studied how conspecific and heterospecific encounters influence developmental times, fecundity, fertility, and predation upon mealybugs for these species. For this, larvae and adults were exposed to non-contact cues from con- or heterospecifics, and aspects of their biology and predatory behavior were monitored. The volatiles from females and males were collected to determine the chemical cues emitted by the ladybeetles. We did not detect an effect of conspecific or heterospecific presence on the developmental time of  T. notata, but did observe increases in reproduction when exposed to conspecifics. For  C. montrouzieri , there was a two-day delay in development time in the presence of conspecifics or heterospecifics, but we detected no effects on reproduction. For predatory behavior, first, second instar larvae and adults of  T. notata  increased predation rate when exposed to a conspecific or heterospecific. For C. montrouzieri first, second instars and adult females increased predation rates when exposed to conspecific females, whereas males reduced predation around conspecifics. Analysis of volatile collections revealed seven compounds specific for T. notata and eight for C. montrouzieri , with differences between male and female extracts. Overall, our study demonstrates that both ladybeetle species perceive cues from conspecific or heterospecific individuals and respond with changes in development times, reproduction, and predation.