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Does prey encounter and nutrient content affect prey selection in wolf spiders inhabiting Bt cotton fields?
Dalila Rendon1,2, Phillip W Taylor2, Shawn M Wilder3
1CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Australian Cotton Research Institute, Narrabri NSW, Australia.
Plos One
|January 11, 2019
Summary
Wolf spiders (Tasmanicosa leuckartii) readily prey on cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera) larvae, even with alternative food sources present. This predatory behavior supports biological control of resistant pests in cotton fields.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Entomology
- Biological Control
Background:
- Wolf spiders are key predators in cotton agroecosystems.
- Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa spp.) is a major pest, with increasing resistance to Bt toxins.
- Wolf spiders could control Bt-resistant Helicoverpa larvae, but alternative prey and intraguild predation may affect this.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predatory selection of wolf spider Tasmanicosa leuckartii when offered alternative prey.
- To determine if encounter rates, prey vulnerability, and nutritional content influence prey selection.
- To assess the potential of T. leuckartii for biological control of Helicoverpa armigera in cotton.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory enclosures were used to simulate predator-prey interactions.
- Prey items included Hogna crispipes (wolf spider), Teleogryllus commodus (cricket), and Helicoverpa armigera larvae.
- Observed encounter rates, attack frequency, and consumption patterns in three-way and four-way food webs.
Main Results:
- Tasmanicosa leuckartii attacked Helicoverpa armigera and Teleogryllus commodus equally in a three-way interaction.
- In a four-way interaction (including Hogna crispipes), T. leuckartii still attacked H. armigera readily, despite encountering T. commodus.
- Consumption of protein-poor Helicoverpa and protein-rich Hogna suggests a benefit from nutrient balancing through diverse prey.
Conclusions:
- Tasmanicosa leuckartii demonstrates a strong predatory drive towards Helicoverpa armigera, even with alternative prey and intraguild competitors.
- This supports the potential use of T. leuckartii for biological control of Bt-resistant Helicoverpa in cotton.
- Diverse prey availability may enhance nutrient acquisition for T. leuckartii, potentially increasing its overall effectiveness.
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