Facilitation in ovipositional behavior of Bactrocera tryoni flies

Mature female Queensland fruit flies, Bactrocera tryoni Froggatt, released into canopies of field-caged trees containing host fruit, did not discriminate between fruit having or lacking two resident conspecific females when selecting fruit on which to alight. When released individually onto a fruit,...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of insect behavior 1999-11, Vol.12 (6), p.815-832
Main Authors: Prokopy, R.J, Romig, M.C, Drew, R.A.I
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
acceptability
animal behavior
Animal ethology
Australia, Queensland
Bactrocera tryoni
Biological and medical sciences
Citrus limon
fecundity
Females
Fruits
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
host plants
host selection
intraspecific competition
oviposition
oviposition sites
Protozoa. Invertebrata
Prunus persica
prunus persica var. nectarina
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
social facilitation
Tephritidae
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Summary:Mature female Queensland fruit flies, Bactrocera tryoni Froggatt, released into canopies of field-caged trees containing host fruit, did not discriminate between fruit having or lacking two resident conspecific females when selecting fruit on which to alight. When released individually onto a fruit, mature females showed no greater or lesser propensity to initiate boring with the ovipositor into fruit having or lacking a resident female engaged in pre-ovipositional or post-ovipositional behavior. However, boring propensity of introduced females was significantly enhanced or facilitated when released onto fruit on which a conspecific female was in the act of ovipositing. Introduced females were significantly more prone to initiate boring into high-ranking fruit (nectarines) than low-ranking fruit (lemons) and to do so when having a high rather than a low egg load. Neither fruit type nor egg load of introduced females had a significant effect on the occurrence of encounters between introduced and resident females, on the occurrence of contests, or on the propensity of introduced females to initiate boring in the presence of a resident female. Among introduced females, there was a consistent trend to initiate boring earlier in the presence than in the absence of a resident female. We discuss circumstances, likely to be narrow, under which boring propensity of an intruding female might be facilitated in the presence of a resident female. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]
ISSN:0892-7553
1572-8889
DOI:10.1023/A:1020909227680