Behaviour of <i>Rhynocoris marginatus</i> (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Reduviidae) to Chemical Cues from Three Lepidopteran Pests

K. Sahayaraj; M. G. Paulraj

doi:10.18311/jbc/2001/4153

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Authors

K. Sahayaraj
Crop Protection Research & Extension Unit, Department of Zoology St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai 627002, Tamil Nadu ,IN
M. G. Paulraj
Crop Protection Research & Extension Unit, Department of Zoology St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai 627002, Tamil Nadu ,IN

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18311/jbc/2001/4153

Keywords:

Aproarema modicella, Helicoverpa armigera, Prey Location, Rhynocoris marginatus, Spodoptera litura.

Abstract

A laboratory experiment was conducted to find out tbe excess proportion index (EPI) and frequency of prey location (rostrum protrusion) behaviourofa reduviid predator,Rhynocoris marginatus (Fabr.) to solvent extracts or three groundnut pests, Aproaerema modicella Dev., Helicoverpa annigera (Hiibner) and Spodoptera litultra (Fabr.), using six-arm glass olfactometers. Fourth, 5^th instar and adult stages or the predator were attracted by all the larval extracts. The frequency of prey location behaviour was high to S. litura larval extracts for fourth (10.43 minutes), fifth (12.07 minutes) instar nymphs and adults (15.38 minutes) of the predator, though statistically not significant. In general, adult predators exhibited high frequency of prey location behaviour for all the tested pests.