Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T06:57:09.013Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

RESPONSE OF MELANOTUS COMMUNIS (COLEOPTERA: ELATERIDAE) LARVAE TO SOIL TEMPERATURE AND MOISTURE1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Merle Shepard
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology and Economic Zoology, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

Abstract

Melanotus communis (Gyllenhal) larvae were introduced into temperature gradient columns containing moist or dry organic soil. In other experiments certain sections of the columns contained moist soil while soil in the remaining sections was dry.

Moist soil caused M. communis larvae to aggregate at higher temperature levels (24 °C) whereas dry soil evoked a positive response to the coolest level (10 °C). Cool (10 °C), moist sections attracted most of the wireworms while sections containing moisture at the highest temperature level caused a bimodal pattern of aggregation with M. communis larvae moving to both cool–dry or hot–moist conditions.

Differences in geotactic responses by M. communis larvae did not occur when the column was positioned vertically or horizontally.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1973

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrewartha, H. G. and Birch, L. C.. 1954. The distribution and abundance of animals. The University of Chicago Press.Google Scholar
Baranowski, R. M. 1967. Insecticide treatments for control of potato-infesting wireworms. Proc. Fla St. hort. Soc. 80: 115117.Google Scholar
Campbell, W. V., Mount, D. A., and Heming, B. S.. 1971. Influence of organic matter content of soils on insecticidal control of the wireworm M. communis. J. econ. Ent. 64: 4144.Google Scholar
Dowdy, W. W. 1944. The influence of temperature on vertical migration of invertebrate inhabiting different soil types. Ecology 25: 449460.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fulton, B. B. 1928. Some temperature relations of Melanotus (Coleoptera: Elateridae). J. econ. Ent. 21: 889897.Google Scholar
Jones, E. W. and Shirck, F. H.. 1942. The seasonal vertical distribution of wireworms in the soil in relation to their control in the Pacific Northwest. J. agric. Res. 65: 125142.Google Scholar
Wolfenbarger, D. O. 1965. Wireworm control experiments on potatoes and corn in south Florida. Fla Ent. 48: 8588.CrossRefGoogle Scholar