Preference of two populations of Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) for Aphis fabae and Aphis gossypii (Homoptera: Aphididae)

Abstract

Prey preference of natural enemies is an important parameter used in studies on their efficiency. Feeding preferences of individuals from two populations of Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) for the essential prey items, Aphis fabae Scopoli, 1763 and Aphis gossypii Glover, 1877 (Homoptera: Aphididae) were evaluated in the laboratory using Manly's β preference index (β). For the predator preference experiment, equal numbers of A. fabae and A. gossypii were offered to the predator. The experiment was conducted on a broad bean leaf disc with 20 replicates. After 24 h, the unconsumed aphids were counted. Individuals of P. quatuordecimpunctata from both populations consumed more A. gossypii [Karaj population (mean ± SE): 28.15 ± 1.04 and Sari population 34.35 ± 0.51] than A. fabae (Karaj population: 17.95 ± 0.64 and Sari population: 17.7 ± 1.01). The values of Manly's β preference index (β) for A. gossypii were 0.73 ± 0.01 and 0.77 ± 0.01 for the Karaj and Sari populations, respectively and for A. fabae were 0.26 ± 0.01 and 0.22 ± 0.01 for the Karaj and Sari populations, respectively. Comparison of the preference indices using a t-test revealed significant differences between the prey preferences of those from the Sari population (t = 22.53, df = 38, P < 0.0001) and the Karaj population (t = 26, df = 38, P < 0.0001). These results reveal that P. quatuordecimpunctata from the two populations prefer A. gossypii over A. fabae.

Keywords

• coleoptera
• coccinellidae
• prey preference
• propylea quatuordecimpunctata
• aphis fabae
• aphis gossypii
• populations