Feeding Preferences of Adults and Larvae of Epilachna admirabilis (Coleoptera : Coccinellidae) to Their Host Plant at Different Leaf Ages

概要

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This study investigated the feeding preferences of adults and larvae of Epilachna admirabilis to young and old leaves of Trichosanthes kirilowii var. japonica. Both adults and larvae preferred the young leaves to the old. Penetrometer showed that old leaves were about twice as hard as young leaves. Old leaves were scarcely fed on by both adults and larvae within short test periods but were well accepted by them during 24hr. In rearing tests that provided young and old leaves for larvae as food, there was no obvious difference in growth performance. The no-choice assay with methanol extracts of young and old leaves showed that both adults and larvae were stimulated to feed by young and old leaf extracts. The choice assay revealed that larvae much preferred the extract of old leaves to that of young leaves compared with adults. These results indicate that the chemical feeding stimulant and physical toughness in old leaves are related to the difference in feeding preferences between adults and larvae.
日本昆虫学会の論文
2000-09-25