Studies on the Induction of Food Preference in Alfalfa Ladybird, Subcoccinella 24-Punctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Abstract

The conditioning of larvae of Subcoccinella 24-punctata L. to host plant selection could not be completely proven. Larvae persistently preferred alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to the other plants introduced. An exception was that C. album-reared larvae preferred Chenopodium album to M. sativa. On the other hand, the preference of adults for a given food plant could be induced by experience of larvae and young adults. It was possible to modify the host-plant selection of alfalfa ladybird, as a result of which C. album became more preferred than M. sativa which is the primary host-plant of this species. Studies on behaviour pointed out that the high preference for C. album by larvae or adults can be ascribed to the physiological condition of the plants tested.