Chemical mediation of egg dumping in the lace bugGargaphia solaniHeidemann (Heteroptera: Tingidae)

We tested the hypothesis that the proximate cue for egg dumping in the lace bugGargaphia solaniHeidemann is a chemical deposited by females on eggs during or shortly after oviposition. The results of this study show that: (1) dumping frequency declines as eggs age but can be elevated to its highest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnimal behaviour Vol. 56; no. 6; pp. 1491 - 1495
Main Authors MONACO, ERIN L, TALLAMY, DOUGLAS W, JOHNSON, R.KENT
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier Ltd 01.12.1998
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Summary:We tested the hypothesis that the proximate cue for egg dumping in the lace bugGargaphia solaniHeidemann is a chemical deposited by females on eggs during or shortly after oviposition. The results of this study show that: (1) dumping frequency declines as eggs age but can be elevated to its highest levels by exposure to chemical extracts from young egg masses; and (2) visual cues are not necessary to stimulate dumping. Further data support the hypothesis that the ovipositional chemical is used by egg dumpers as a long-distance signal of an appropriate oviposition site, and is not a mechanism by which guarding females relocate their eggs if separated from them.
ISSN:0003-3472
1095-8282
DOI:10.1006/anbe.1998.0934