Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T22:11:20.703Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Some Biological Attributes of Sawflies in the Neodiprion fulviceps Complex in a Brushfield Pine Plantation (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae)1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Donald L. Dahlsten
Affiliation:
Department of Entomology and Parasitology, Division of Biological Control, University of California, Berkeley

Abstract

Although adults from each of four study areas in California showed no morphological differences and were identified as belonging to the Neodiprion fulviceps complex, a number of biological differences in different stages of development indicate that there are three distinct populations of one species or subspecies of a species in the, N. fulviceps complex in California.

The life stages are typical of Neodiprion species. Overwintering as eggs, eclosion commences in the spring. The larvae drop to the ground after four to six feeding instars, spinning their cocoons in the duff beneath the host trees. Pre pupal larvae spend the summer in the cocoon; pupation occurs in the fall and adult emergence follows two to three weeks after.

The foliage chosen for oviposition is mainly the current year's growth. Oviposition occurs largely in the upper crown of trees less than 10 feet in height, while in trees larger than 10 feet the lower crown is preferred. The outer two-thirds of the foliage of an individual tip and the lower gravitation edges of needles are favored for oviposition.

Some of the differences supporting the belief that there are distinct species or subspecies include number of eggs per female, number of needles in each fascicle used for oviposition, number of eggs inserted in each needle, spacing of egg pockets, egg color, number of feeding instars, date of larval eclosion, larval size, and larval feeding capacity.

Males and females emerged in synchrony in the laboratory and the field. Males predominated in cocoon collections but females predominated in rearings of larvae. This discrepancy in sex ratio may be due to a differential mortality factor. (In this study no prepupae were found to go into an extended diapause.)

One adult morphological character was found that may be of significance in supporting the contention that distinct populations or subspecies occur. Females in one study area generally had more antennal segments than females in other areas. This character along with the biological differences may prove adequate to describe these populations as subspecies or even species in the future bur it was felt that additional names, at this time, would only add to the confusion in the genus. Such descriptions should wait until the entire N. fulviceps complex can be considered.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1966

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

Atwood, C. E. 1961. Present status of the sawfly family Diprionidae (Hymenoptera) in Ontario. Proc. ent. Soc. Ontario (1960) 91: 205215.Google Scholar
Atwood, C. E., and Peck, O.. 1943. Some native sawflies of the genus Neodiprion attacking pines in eastern Canada. Can. J. Res., D, 21: 109144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benjamin, D. M. 1955. The biology and ecology of the red-headed pine sawfly. U.S.D.A. Tech. Bull. No. 1118, 55 pp.Google Scholar
Bird, R. D. 1929. Notes on the fir sawfly, Neodiprion abietis (Harris). 60th Rept. ent. Soc. Ontario (1929): 7682.Google Scholar
Breny, R. 1955. L'éclosion de l'oeuf de Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffr.). Bull. Inst. agron. Stns Rech. Gembloux 23: 260268.Google Scholar
Breny, R. 1957. Contribution à étude de la diapause chez Neodiprion sertifer (Geoffr.) dans la nature. Acad. roy. Belg. Mem. Cl. Sci. 30: 188.Google Scholar
Brygider, W. 1952. In what embryonic stage do the eggs of Neodiprion sawflies enter the winter diapause? Can. J. Zool. 30: 99108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coppel, H. C., Casida, J. E. and Dauterman, W. C.. 1960. Evidence for a potent sex attractant in the introduced pine sawfly, Diprion similis (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). Ann. ent. Soc. Amer. 53: 510512.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cresson, E. T. 1880. Descriptions of new North American Hymenoptera in the collection of the American Entomological Society. Trans. Am. ent. Soc. 8: 168.Google Scholar
Dahlsten, D. L. 1961. Life history of a pine sawfly, Neodiprion sp., at Willits, California (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). Can. Ent. 93: 182195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dahlsten, D. L. 1963. The bionomics of pine sawflies, Neodiprion fulviceps complex, in a California brushfield plantation (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). Ph.D. Thesis. Univ. of California (L.C. Card No. Mic 64-2037) 203 pp. Univ. Microfilms, Ann Arbor, Michigan (Diss. Abstr. 24: 3891).Google Scholar
Dice, L. R., and Leras, J. H.. 1936. A graphic method for comparing several sets of measurements. Contributions from the Lab. of Vertebrate Genetics, Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. No. 3 (July), 3 pp.Google Scholar
Eliescu, G. 1932. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Morphologie, Anatomie, und Biologie von Lophyrus pini L. Z. angew. Ent. 19: 188206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Furniss, R. L., and Dowden, P. B.. 1941. Western hemlock sawfly, Neodiprion tsugae Middleton, and its parasites in Oregon. J. econ. Ent. 34: 4652.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghent, A. W. 1955. Oviposition behavior of the jack-pine sawfly, Neodiprion americanus banksianae Roh., as indicated by an analysis of egg clusters. Can. Ent. 87: 229238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghent, A. W. 1958. Studies of the feeding orientation of the jack-pine sawfly, Neodiprion pratti banksianae Roh. Can. J. Zool. 36: 175183.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghent, A. W. 1959. Row-type oviposition in Neodiprion sawflies as exemplified by the European pine sawfly, N. sertifer (Geoffr.). Can. J. Zool. 37: 267281.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghent, A. W. 1960. A study of the group-feeding behavior of larvae of the jack-pine sawfly, Neodiprion pratti banksianae Roh. Behaviour 16: 110148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ghent, A. W., and Wallace, D. R.. 1958. Oviposition behavior of the Swaine jack-pine sawfly. Forest Sci. 4: 264272.Google Scholar
Green, G. W. 1954 a. Some laboratory investigations of the light reactions of the larvae of Neodiprion americanus banksianae Rohwer and N. lecontei (Fitch) (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). Can. Ent. 86: 207222.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Green, G. W. 1954 b. Humidity reactions and water balance of larvae of Neodiprion americanus banksianae Roh. and N. lecontei (Fitch) (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). Can. Ent. 86: 261274.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Griffiths, K. J. 1959. Observations on the European pine sawfly, Neodiprion sertifer (Geoff.), and its parasites in southern Ontario, Can. Ent. 91: 501512.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Griffiths, K. J. 1960. Oviposition of the red-headed pine sawfly, Neodiprion lecontei (Fitch). Can. Ent. 92: 430435.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hetrick, L. A. 1941. Life history studies of Neodiprion americanum (Leach). J. econ. Ent. 34: 373377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hetrick, L. A. 1956. Life history studies of five species of Neodiprion sawflies. Forest Sci. 2: 181185.Google Scholar
Hetrick, L. A. 1959. Ecology of the pine sawfly, Neodiprion excitans (Rohwer) (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). Fla Ent. 42: 159162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hopping, G. R., and Leech, H. B.. 1936. Sawfly biologies. 1. Neodiprion tsugae Middleton. Can. Ent. 68: 7179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ives, W. G. H., and Turnock, W. J.. 1959. Estimation of cocoon populations of the larch sawfly, Pristiphora erichsonii (Hartig). Can. Ent. 91: 650661.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kapler, J. E., and Benjamin, D. M.. 1960. The biology and ecology of the red-pine sawfly in Wisconsin. Forest Sci. 6: 253268.Google Scholar
Lyons, L. A. 1960. Population studies on Neodiprion swainei Middleton (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) in Quebec. Ph.D. Thesis. Univ. of Minnesota. (L.C. Card No. Mic 60-3527) 153 pp. Univ. Microfilms. Ann Arbor, Mich. (Diss. Abstr. 21(7): 2054–2055).Google Scholar
Martineau, R. 1959. On an infestation of the red-headed jack-pine sawfly, N. virginianus complex in Quebec. Can. Dep. Agric. For. Biol. Div. Bi-mon. Prog. Rep. 15(5): 1.Google Scholar
Middleton, W. 1921. LeConte's sawfly, an enemy of young pines. J. agric. Res. 20: 741760.Google Scholar
Ohnesorge, B., and Thalenhorst, W.. 1956. Zur Kenntnis der Fichten-Blattwespen. IV. Die Dispersion. Z. Pflkrankh. 63: 197211.Google Scholar
Prebble, M. L. 1943. Sampling methods in population studies of European spruce sawfly, Gilpinia hercyniae (Hartig) in eastern Canada. Trans. R. Soc. Can., Sec. 5, (Ser. 3) 37: 93126.Google Scholar
Raizenne, H. 1957. Forest sawflies of southern Ontario and their parasites. Can. Dep. Agric. Pub. 1009, 45 pp.Google Scholar
Ross, H. H. 1955. The taxonomy and evolution of the sawfly genus Neodiprion. Forest Sci. 1: 196209.Google Scholar
Schedl, K. 1937. Quantitative Freilandstudien an Blatwespen der Pinus banksiana mit besonderer Berucksichtigung der Methodik. Z. angew. Ent. 24: 25–70, 181215.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schedl, K. 1939. Die Populationsdynamik einiger Kanadischen Blattwespen. Verg. VII Int. Kongr. Ent. (1938) 3: 20522104.Google Scholar
Schönwiese, F. 1934. Beobachtungen und Versuche anlasslich einer Ubervermehrung von Lophyrus sertifer Geoff. (rufus Panz.) in Sudkarnten in den Jahren 1931–32. Z. angew. Ent. 21: 463500.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smirnoff, W. A. 1960. Observations on the migration of larvae of Neodiprion swainei Midd. (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). Can. Ent. 92: 957958.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stark, R. W., and Dahlsten, D. L.. 1961. Distribution of cocoons of a Neodiprion sawfly under open-grown conditions. Can. Ent. 93: 443450.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stark, R. W., and Dahlsten, D. L.. 1965. Notes on the distribution of eggs of a species in the Neodiprion fulviceps complex (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae). Can. Ent. 97: 550552.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stark, R. W., and Dahlsten, D. L.. 1966. The effect of soil temperature on the distribution of Neodiprion sawfly cocoons in California. Ecology 47: 488489.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Struble, G. R. 1957. Biology and control of the white-fir sawfly. Forest Sci. 3: 306313.Google Scholar
Struble, G. R. 1959. Egg sampling reveals trend in white-fir sawfly abundance. J. Forestry 57: 510511.Google Scholar
Warren, L. O., and Coyne, J. F.. 1958. The pine sawfly, Neodiprion taedae linearis Ross, in Arkansas. Univ. of Arkansas Exp. Sta. Bull. 602, 23 pp.Google Scholar