›› 2000, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (2): 152-158.

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

An investigation on feeding behavior of the litchi stink bug:Tessaratoma papillosa (Hemiptera:Pentatomidae)

LIU Yu-fang, GU De-xiang   

  • Online:2000-05-20 Published:2000-05-20

Abstract: Adult feeding of the stink bug, Tessaratoma papillosa Drury occurred on flowering, tender and tough branches of the hostplant, litchi. However, their feeding behavior in their preoverwintering and reproductive stages was obviously different. 50%~70% and 100% of adults fed on all the three kinds of branches in their preoverwintering and reproductive stages, respectively. Placed on these branches, the prefeeding period of the stink bugs at preoverwintering stage was longer than that at reproductive stage. The feeding behavior of the stink bugs on different kinds of branches differed greatly. The prefeeding period of the stink bugs on flowering or tender branches was much shorter than that on tough one. The stink bugs preferred feeding flowering and tender branches in the choice test. The contents of water, nitrogen and soluble sugars in flowering and tender branches were higher than that in tough one and the content of soluble sugars in all three types of branches varied during the reproductive stage of the stink bug. Tender and flowering branches differed from tough one in morphology and histology.

Key words: Tessaratoma papillosa, feeding behavior, host plant