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Submitted to: Southwest Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 6/25/2002 Publication Date: 12/1/2002 Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: A predatory fly that only attacks the adult stage of silverleaf whitefly is identified and its. predatory characteristics are quantified. A laboratory investigation of the foraging behavior and prey choice of field collected Drapetis nr. divergens presented with an abundance of silverleaf whitefly eggs, nymphs and adults was undertaken. The foraging behavior of this fly resembles that of an ambush attack strategist, frequently exhibiting motionless behavior and feeding exclusively on mobile adults. A gut content evaluation of field collected flies using a whitefly-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that 15% of the individuals had whitefly remains in their guts. Based on its relatively low prey consumption rate and long prey handling time, it is not an ideal single candidate for whitefly control. However, its abundance in Arizona cotton fields makes it a possible contributor to an overall program targeted for whitefly control. . Technical Abstract: Little information is published about the biology of the predatory fly, Drapetis nr. divergens Loew. A laboratory investigation of the foraging behavior and prey choice of field collected D. nr. divergens presented with a surfeit of silverleaf whitefly, Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring eggs, nymphs and adults was undertaken. The foraging behavior of D. nr . divergens resembled that of an ambush attack strategist, frequently exhibiting motionless behavior and feeding exclusively on mobile adults. A gut content evaluation of D. nr .divergens using a whitefly-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted on field collected flies. The analysis revealed that 15% of the individuals had whitefly remains in their guts. |
