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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #348388
Research Project: Urban Small Farms and Gardens Pest Management

Location: Invasive Insect Biocontrol & Behavior Laboratory

Title: Ovipositional preferences of two squash bug species, Anasa tristis, and Anasa armigera (Heteroptera: Coreidae), for different cultivars and species of Cucurbitaceae

Author
item Cornelius, Mary

Submitted to: Journal of Insect Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/12/2018
Publication Date: 3/17/2018
Citation: Cornelius, M.L. 2018. Ovipositional preferences of two squash bug species, Anasa tristis, and Anasa armigera (Heteroptera: Coreidae), for different cultivars and species of Cucurbitaceae. Journal of Insect Science. https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iey021.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jisesa/iey021

Interpretive Summary: The ovipositional preferences of two squash bug species, Anasa tristis (DeGeer) and Anasa armigera Say, were evaluated in paired choice tests of different species and cultivars of plants in the family Cucurbitaceae. Females of A. tristis preferred to oviposit on the cultivar from which they were reared over three other cultivars of the same species. However, females did not show any ovipositional preference for different cultivars when they had no previous exposure to either cultivar. Females of A. tristis were equally likely to oviposit on Cucurbita pepo , C. maxima, and C. moschata, but were significantly more likely to oviposit on C. pepo than on cucumber and watermelon. Horned squash bugs were equally likely to oviposit on C. pepo or cucumber, regardless of the species they were reared on. When horned squash bugs were reared on C. pepo, they were more likely to oviposit on C. maxima than on cucumber and less likely to oviposit on C. moschata than on cucumber. This study provides the groundwork for further investigations into the host plant preferences and the host finding behavior of squash bugs that will lead to the development of lures that can be used for monitoring and mass trapping of squash bug pests.

Technical Abstract: The ovipositional preferences of two squash bug species, Anasa tristis (DeGeer) and Anasa armigera Say, were evaluated in paired choice tests of different species and cultivars of plants in the family Cucurbitaceae. Females of A. tristis preferred to oviposit on the cultivar from which they were reared over three other cultivars of the same species. However, females did not show any ovipositional preference for different cultivars when they had no previous exposure to either cultivar. Females of A. tristis were equally likely to oviposit on Cucurbita pepo , C. maxima, and C. moschata, but were significantly more likely to oviposit on C. pepo than on cucumber and watermelon. Horned squash bugs were equally likely to oviposit on C. pepo or cucumber, regardless of the species they were reared on. When horned squash bugs were reared on C. pepo, they were more likely to oviposit on C. maxima than on cucumber and less likely to oviposit on C. moschata than on cucumber.