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Egg hatch of forest tent caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) on two preferred host species

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 August 2012

David R. Gray  and
Don P. Ostaff
David R. Gray*
Affiliation:
Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, P.O. Box 4000, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5P7, Canada
Don P. Ostaff
Affiliation:
Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service – Atlantic Forestry Centre, P.O. Box 4000, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 5P7, Canada
*
1Corresponding author (e-mail: david.gray@nrcan.gc.ca).
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Abstract

Synchrony between herbivore and host phenology can be an important factor in herbivore fitness. The survival of first-instar forest tent caterpillar (FTC) (Malacosoma disstria Hübner; Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) larvae and performance of surviving larvae are reduced when egg hatch and host budbreak are asynchronous. Budbreak in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michaux; Salicaceae) and largetooth aspen (Populus grandidentata Michaux; Salicaceae), two preferred hosts of FTC, differ by ∼14 days. We examined the phenological requirements of FTC egg hatch to see if an inherent difference exists between FTC egg masses on the two hosts, and if the difference would promote synchrony with each host. Egg masses from a haphazard selection of clones of each host were collected in a mixed stand of trembling and largetooth aspen in New Brunswick, Canada. Egg masses were subjected to controlled temperature regimes in the laboratory, and hatch was monitored daily. Despite the differences in host phenologies and the obvious benefits of being synchronised with host phenology, egg masses collected from trembling aspen began hatching only 3 days earlier, and completed hatching only 2 days earlier, than egg masses collected from largetooth aspen. Bet hedging is discussed as a possible strategy to explain the absence of host-specific synchrony between egg hatch of FTC and the hosts it selects for oviposition.

Résumé

Des masses d’œufs de livrée des forêts (Malacosoma disstria Hübner; Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) ont été recueillies sur des peupliers faux-trembles et des peupliers à grandes dents dans un peuplement mélangé de l'ouest du Nouveau-Brunswick, au Canada. Ces masses d’œufs ont été soumises à des régimes de température contrôlée en laboratoire, et une surveillance a été exercée quotidiennement afin d’établir le moment de l’éclosion. La phénologie du débourrement des deux hôtes diffère d'environ 14 jours, et des effets négatifs ont été observés chez les chenilles obligées de se nourrir de feuillage plus âgé. Toutefois, en dépit des différences liées à la phénologie des hôtes et des avantages évidents découlant de la synchronisation de l’éclosion avec la phénologie des hôtes, les masses d’œufs recueillies sur le peuplier faux-tremble (Populus tremuloides Michaux; Salicaceae) ont commencé à éclore trois jours avant, et avaient toutes éclos seulement deux jours avant celles récoltées sur le peuplier à grandes dents (Populus grandidentata Michaux; Salicaceae). La stratégie de minimisation des risques (bet hedging) apparaît comme une explication possible à l'absence de synchronisation spécifique à l'hôte entre l’éclosion des œufs de la livrée et la phénologie du débourrement de l'hôte sur laquelle les femelles déposent leurs œufs.

Type
Original Article
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 144 , Issue 6 , December 2012 , pp. 756 - 763
Copyright
Copyright © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2012

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Footnotes

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Retired.

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