Oviposition Behavior of Stenoma catenifer (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae): Chemical and Physical Stimuli and Diel Pattern of Egg Laying

• Published in: Annals of the Entomological Society of America Vol. 98; no. 3; pp. 409 - 414
• Main Authors: Nava, Dori Edson, Parra, José Roberto Postali, Diez-Rodríguez, Gabriela Inés, Bento, José Maurício Simões
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford University Press 01-05-2005; Entomological Society of America
• Subjects: artificial fruits; avocados; BEHAVIOR; Biological and medical sciences; boring insects; chemical stimuli; diurnal variation; Elachistidae; fruits (plant anatomy); Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; host plants; Insecta; Invertebrates; Lepidoptera oviposition; oviposition; oviposition attractants; oviposition sites; oviposition substrates; Persea americana; Systematics. Geographical distribution; Lepidoptera oviposition; Persea americana; Insecta; Elachistidae; Arthropoda; Dicotyledones; Egg laying; Angiospermae; Lepidoptera; Spermatophyta; Invertebrata; Lauraceae; Egg laying behavior
• ISSN: 0013-8746; 1938-2901; 0013-8746
• DOI: 10.1603/0013-8746(2005)098[0409:OBOSCL]2.0.CO;2

The influence of chemical and physical stimuli on the diel patterns of oviposition behavior of the borer Stenoma catenifer Walsingham (Lepidoptera: Elachistidae) were investigated. All experiments were conducted in the laboratory (25 ± 2°C, 60 ± 20% RH, photoperiod of 14:10 [L:D] h) by using five pairs per cage (n = 5). To evaluate response to chemical stimulation, the cages were lined internally with a paper towel containing different treatments: 1 and 2) avocado fruit of ‘Margarida’ and ‘Breda’, 3) artificial fruit, and 4) no fruit (natural or artificial). Quilted paper towel, nonquilted paper towel, and a smooth sheet of paper were used to evaluate response to the substrate. The numbers of eggs in all treatments that included avocado fruit were statistically higher than the others. Likewise, the numbers of eggs on quilted paper towel were statistically higher than on nonquilted paper towel or on smooth paper. The peak egg-laying time in the laboratory occurred from 2000 to 2400 hours.