Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-18T08:49:39.321Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Colony development and alate production in Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on winter wheat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 July 2009

R. J. C. Cannon
R. J. C. Cannon*
Affiliation:
Ecological Physics Research Group,Cranfield Institute of Technology, Cranfield, Bedford, MK43 0AL, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

An ecological study of summer populations of Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) on winter wheat, was carried out near Bedford, UK, in 1978–80. Alate production (as percentages of alatiform fourth-instar nymphs) followed a consistent and synchronous three-phase pattern: with increases to 50% in early June in 1978–80 and 90% in late July in 1978–79. The proportions of winged offspring deposited by apterous parents also showed a similar increase, changing from 5% on 14–20 June to 91% on 5–11 July. Alate parents deposited mostly (75%) wingless offspring. Frequency distributions for nymph batch sizes were obtained for both morphs in 1979. Alate deposition was bimodally distributed. For apterous aphids, the fourth instar was the main dispersal stage. The numbers of adult apterae expressed as proportions of the total population were generally lower in 1979 than in 1978. The numbers of colonies increased sharply between 19 and 21 June in 1978 and 1979, and remained at similar levels to each other until at least 5 July. Colony and population numbers were highly significantly correlated over certain periods in 1978 and 1979. Colonies with >20 aphids increased sharply in numbers after 6 July, probably as a result of changing aptera dispersiveness. An estimate of mean colony size in 1979 showed a well-defined 14-day plateau phase. Changes in population alate production and changes in the proportions of winged offspring (from apterous parents) are discussed in relation to colony development. It is considered that increases in colony size produce colony-specific patterns of alate production.

Type
Research Article
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 75 , Issue 2 , June 1985 , pp. 353 - 365
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council. High Cross Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK

References

Cannon, R. J. C. (1982). The ecology of the rose-grain aphid Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in a wheat field.—282 pp. Ph.D. thesis, Cranfield Inst. Technol., UK.Google Scholar
Cannon, R. J. C. (1984). The development rate of Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on winter wheat.—Bull. ent. Res. 74, 33–46.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cannon, R. J. C. & Schaefer, G. W. (in press). Summer populations of the cereal aphid Metopolophium dirhodum (Walker) on winter wheat: three contrasting seasons.—J. appl. Ecol.Google Scholar
Carter, N., McLean, I. F. G., Watt, A. D. & Dixon, A. F. G. (1980). Cereal aphids: a case study and review.—pp. 271–348 in Coaker, T. H. (Ed.). Applied biology. Vol. V.—407 pp. London, Academic Press.Google Scholar
Chambers, R. J., Sunderland, K. D., Wyatt, I. J. & Vickerman, G. P. (1983). The effects of predator exclusion and caging on cereal aphids in winter wheat.—J. appl. Ecol. 20, 209–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dean, G. J. W. (1973.a). Aphid colonization of spring cereals.—Ann. appl. Biol. 75, 183–193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dean, G. J. W. (1973 b). Distribution of aphids in spring cereals.—J. appl. Ecol. 10, 447–462.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dixon, A. F. G. (1971). The life-cycle and host preferences of the bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi L., and their bearing on the theories of host alternation in aphids.—Ann. appl. Biol. 68, 135–147.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dixon, A. F. G. (1977). Aphid ecology: life-cycles, polymorphism, and population regulation.—Annu. Rev. Ecol. & Syst. 8, 329–353.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elkhider, E. M. (1979). Studies on environmental control of polymorphism in the rose-grain aphid Metopolophium dirhodum (Walk.). Ph.D. thesis, Univ. London.Google Scholar
Ibbotson, A. & Kennedy, J. S. (1951). Aggregation in Aphis fabae Scop. I. Aggregation on plants.—Ann. appl. Biol. 38, 65–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, B. (1965). Wing polymorphism in aphids. II. Interaction between aphids.—Entomologia exp. appl. 8, 49–64.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lees, A. D. (1966). The control of polymorphism in aphids.—Adv. Insect Physiol. 3, 207–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lees, A. D. (1967). The production of the apterous and alate forms in the aphid Megoura viciae Buckton, with special reference to the role of crowding.—J. Insect Physiol. 13, 289–318.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schaefer, G. W., Bent, G. & Cannon, R. J. C. (1979). The green invasion.—New Scient. 9 August, 440–441.Google Scholar
Sokal, R. R. & Rohlf, F. J. (1969). Introduction to biostatistics.—368 pp. San Francisco, W. H. Freeman.Google Scholar
Taylor, L. R. (1975). Longevity, fecundity and size; control of reproductive potential in a polymorphic migrant, Aphis fabae Scop.—J. Anim. Ecol. 44, 135–163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watt, A. D. (1979). The effect of cereal growth stages on the reproductive activity of Sitobion avenae and Metopolophium dirhodum .—Ann. appl. Biol. 91, 147–157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Way, M. J. & Banks, C. J. (1967). Intra-specific mechanisms in relation to the natural regulation of numbers of Aphis fabae Scop.—Ann. appl. Biol. 59, 189–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Way, M. J. & Cammell, M. E. (1970). Aggregation behaviour in relation to food utilization by aphids.—pp. 229–247 in Watson, A.(Ed.). Animal populations in relation to their food resources. A symposium of the British Ecological Society. Aberdeen 24–28 March 1969.— 477. pp Oxford, Blackwell Scientific (Brit. Ecol. Soc. Symp. no. 10).Google Scholar
Wratten, S. D. (1977). Reproductive strategy of winged and wingless morphs of the aphids Sitobion avenae and Metopolophium dirhodum .—Ann. appl. Biol. 85, 319–331.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed