Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
Ecology And Biology Of The Redbanded Stink Bug, Piezodorus Guildinii (Westwood) In Louisiana, Anup Bastola
Ecology And Biology Of The Redbanded Stink Bug, Piezodorus Guildinii (Westwood) In Louisiana, Anup Bastola
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
The redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (Westwood) is an invasive stink bug species that was first documented as a soybean pest in Louisiana during the year 2000. This species continues to expand northward in the MidSouth but information is lacking on its biology and ecology in the U.S. In order to determine P. guildinii’s northern range, studies were designed to investigate the cold tolerance ability of this species. The mean supercooling points of adult P. guildinii ranged from highest -8.3 ± 0.2°C in March to the lowest of -11.0 ± 0.2°C in January. Evaluation of lethal exposure time …
Population Ecology Of Pseudacteon Tricuspis Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae), An Introduced Parasitoid Of The Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis Invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Louisiana, Donald Charles Henne
Population Ecology Of Pseudacteon Tricuspis Borgmeier (Diptera: Phoridae), An Introduced Parasitoid Of The Red Imported Fire Ant Solenopsis Invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) In Louisiana, Donald Charles Henne
LSU Doctoral Dissertations
Aspects of the population ecology of a parasitoid (Pseudacteon tricuspis) of the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) in Louisiana were studied. The spatio-temporal abundance patterns, dispersal, population spread, aggregation, direct mutual interference and functional response characteristics of this parasitoid were studied to address deficiencies in our knowledge about phorid flies, particularly Pseudacteon parasitoids. This endoparasitoid was discovered to manipulate host ant behavior in ways that benefit its own survival. Laboratory experiments to gain insights into behavioral and functional responses revealed that fly aggregations were density-dependent and interference was not significant when 1-3 females were simultaneously confined with hosts, although …