Relationship between Nola innocua Butler (Lepidoptera: Nolidae), a kleptoparasite, and aphids which cause galls on Distylium racemosum trees.

概要

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A nolid moth, Nola innocua BUTLER is a kleptoparasite of aphids which form galls on Distylium racemosum trees. Larvae of this species bore into galls of Nipponaphis distyliicola MONZEN in summer and Monzenia globuli (MONZEN) or Metanipponaphis sp. A in autumn, and feed on the internal tissues leaving faeces in the gall. The aphids in attacked galls consequently die. A single moth larva consumes more than two galls and pupates outside the galls on twigs. Nola is the most important mortality agency of these aphids within their galls. The moth larvae cannot feed on mature leaves of Distylium. Young leaves are also avoided. The moth successively attacks N. distyliicola galls in its summer generation and galls of M. globuli or Metanipponaphis in the autumn generation. These observations suggest that Nola innocua has become highly specialized to its kleptoparasitic life within the aphid galls.
日本応用動物昆虫学会の論文