TO CATCH an aphid, you've got to think like one. Seven-spotted ladybirds gauge which plants their aphid prey covet and then set up camp there to increase the chances of grabbing a juicy meal.
Amanda Williams and Samuel Flaxman of the University of Colorado in Boulder treated broad bean plants with a non-toxic chemical to toughen up plant tissue, making them harder for pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) to feed on. Unsurprisingly, aphids spent more time on more edible, untreated plants. But so did the ladybirds (Coccinella septempunctata), even when there were no aphids for them to eat (Animal Behaviour, DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.01.008).
It's the first evidence, says Flaxman, that predators not only go where their prey's food is plentiful but also where its quality is high. How the ladybirds judge plant quality is unclear.
If you would like to reuse any content from New Scientist, either in print or online, please contact the syndication department first for permission. New Scientist does not own rights to photos, but there are a variety of licensing options available for use of articles and graphics we own the copyright to.
Have your say
Only subscribers may leave comments on this article. Please log in.
Only personal subscribers may leave comments on this article
Subscribe now to comment.
All comments should respect the New Scientist House Rules. If you think a particular comment breaks these rules then please use the "Report" link in that comment to report it to us.
If you are having a technical problem posting a comment, please contact technical support.
king jong il dead south korea baron davis duggar family fidel castro gilbert arenas dexter
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন