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Title: WHITEFLIES ON AN ARTIFICIAL MEMBRANE AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH PREDATORS

Author
item Buckner, James
item Nelson, Dennis
item Cohen, Allen
item FREEMAN, THOMAS - NDSU, FARGO, ND
item Ruud, Rita

Submitted to: Silverleaf Whitefly: 1997 Supplement to the Five Year National Research and
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: We developed an apparatus for attracting adult whiteflies (SLW) to surface of an artificial membrane for feeding on a liquid media and to have female adults oviposit eggs by pushing egg pedicel through feeding membrane. Feeding membrane was conducive for emerged nymphs to commence feeding and wandering behavior of crawling nymphs was minimal. The ability of 1st instar nymphs to feed, attach and develop on membranes was dependent on th nature of the media. On a media of water, first instar nymphs commenced feeding but survived only for a few days. On a media containing sucrose, feeding nymphs lived for several weeks, grew in size, showed development of dorsal wax projections, but molting process to the 2nd instar rarely occurred. Light and scanning electron microscopy techniques were developed for observing the feeding structures on the media side of the feeding membrane that normally exist only within the leaf structure of SLW feeding on the underside of plant leaves. The coccinellid beetle has been identified as a promising predator of SLW that is amenable to artificial production. The feeding apparatus was used to study the interaction of S. parcesetosum larval predators with membrane-attached SLW eggs and nymphs. The membrane surface with attached eggs and/or nymphs has served as suitable arena for observing the feeding behavior of S. parcesetosum larvae that feed on only stationary prey.