A tropical lady beetle, Diomus lupusapudoves (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), deceives potential enemies to predate an ant-protected coffee pest through putative chemical mimicry

AbstractThe predator-predator naïveté hypothesis suggests that non-native predators benefit from being unknown to native predators, resulting in reduced intraguild interference with native predators. This novelty advantage should depend on the ability of native predators to recognize cues of non-native predators. Here, we compared ant aggression and lady beetle reaction in four native and the invasive lady beetle species Harmonia axyridis. In addition, we tested whether lady beetle cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are involved in species recognition, which might explain naïveté if the invasive species has a specific CHC profile. To this end, we conducted behavioral assays confronting two native ant species with both living lady beetles and lady beetle elytra bearing or lacking CHCs of different lady beetle species. Finally, we characterized CHC profiles of the lady beetles using GC–MS. In general, the aggression of Lasius niger was more frequent than that of Myrmica rubra and L. niger aggression was more frequent towards most native lady beetle species compared to H. axyridis. The removal of CHCs from lady beetle elytra reduced aggression of both ant species. If CHCs of respective lady beetle species were added on cue-free elytra, natural strength of L. niger aggression could be restored. CHC analyses revealed a distinct cue composition for each lady beetle species. Our experiments demonstrate that the presence of chemical cues on the surface of lady beetles contribute to the strength of ant aggression against lady beetles. Reduced aggression of L. niger towards H. axyridis and reduced avoidance behavior in H. axyridis compared to the equally voracious C. septempunctata might improve the invasive lady beetle’s access to ant-tended aphids.

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Interactions of Native and Non-Native Lady Beetle Species (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) With Aphid-Tending Ants in Laboratory Arenas

Environmental Entomology ◽

10.1603/022.038.0338 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 38 (3) ◽

pp. 846-855 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

C. J. Finlayson ◽

A. V. Alyokhin ◽

E. W. Porter

Keyword(s):

Lady Beetle ◽

Beetle Species

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Underlying reasons of the controversy over adverse effects of Bt toxins on lady beetle and lacewing larvae

Environmental Sciences Europe ◽

10.1186/2190-4715-24-9 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Angelika Hilbeck ◽

Matthias Meier ◽

Miluse Trtikova

Keyword(s):

Adverse Effects ◽

Lady Beetle ◽

Bt Toxins

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MyrmicaAnts and Their Butterfly Parasites with Special Focus on the Acoustic Communication

Psyche A Journal of Entomology ◽

10.1155/2012/725237 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

F. Barbero ◽

D. Patricelli ◽

M. Witek ◽

E. Balletto ◽

L. P. Casacci ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acoustic Emission ◽

Acoustic Communication ◽

Food Plant ◽

Chemical Mimicry ◽

Special Focus ◽

Social Parasites ◽

Ant Nests ◽

Arthropod Species

About 10,000 arthropod species live as ants' social parasites and have evolved a number of mechanisms allowing them to penetrate and survive inside the ant nests.Myrmicacolonies, in particular, are exploited by numerous social parasites, and the presence of their overwintering brood, as well as of their polygyny, contributes to make them more vulnerable to infestation. Butterflies of the genusMaculineaare among the most investigatedMyrmicainquilines. These lycaenids are known for their very complex biological cycles.Maculineaspecies are obligated parasites that depend on a particular food plant and on a specificMyrmicaspecies for their survival.Maculinealarvae are adopted byMyrmicaants, which are induced to take them into their nests by chemical mimicry. Then the parasite spends the following 11–23 months inside the ants' nest. Mimicking the acoustic emission of the queen ants,Maculineaparasites not only manage to become integrated, but attain highest rank within the colony. Here we review the biology ofMaculinea/Myrmicasystem with a special focus on some recent breakthrough concerning their acoustical patterns.

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