Feeding Stimulants for Various Leaf Beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in the Leaf Surface Wax of Their Host Plants

Abstract

The feeding response of six chrysomelid beetles to alkane, alcohol, and carboxylic acid fractions in the leaf surface wax of their respective host plants was investigated. The false melon beetle, Atrachya menetriesi, was stimulated to feed by an alkane fraction from the soybean Glycine max leaves. The feeding of Chrysolina aurichalcea was stimulated by an alcohol fraction from the mugwort, Artemisia princeps. Both alkane and acid fractions from the strawberry, Fragaria ananassa, stimulated the feeding of the strawberry leaf beetle, Galerucella vittaticollis. Feeding of the viburnum leaf beetle, Pyrrhalta humeralis, was stimulated by alkane fraction from the viburnum, Viburnum awabuki. Feeding stimulation by authentic homologous chemicals was also tested. Series of alkane, C21-C25 and C30-C36 were stimulating for A. menetriesi, alkane C31-C40 and acid C24-C26 for G. vittaticollis, alcohol C21-C24 for C. aurichalcea, and alkane C28 and C29 for P. humeralis. Gas-liquid chromatographic analysis suggested that the beetles were stimulated to feed by dominant wax components of each of the host plants. © 1993, JAPANESE SOCIETY OF APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY AND ZOOLOGY. All rights reserved.