Habitat use by adults of Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a mixed mango and tropical plum orchard.
Aluja M., Birke A.
Author Affiliation: Instituto de Ecología, A.C., Apartado Postal 63, 91000 Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
Annals of the Entomological Society of America 86 : 799-812
Abstract : Essential Anastrepha obliqua resources (i.e. food, shelter, oviposition substrate (larval rearing medium), sites to perform sexual activities and pupation medium) were identified in May-June 1990 within a diversified agroecosystem (plum trees planted adjacent to mango trees) in Mexico, and the relationship between the spatial arrangement and temporal characteristics (e.g. variable degree of foliage coverage in plum trees) of habitat patches and resource use by local adult populations was examined. Patterns of resource use were correlated with habitat characteristics (e.g. availability of shade, temperature, relative humidity, light intensity) and varied significantly between sexes. Overall, females used plum trees for feeding and oviposition, whereas males used them only for feeding. In contrast, females principally used mango trees for resting and feeding and males for sexual activities (courtship, copulation) and resting. Significant differences are reported in tephritid sightings according to sex, hour of day and microhabitat. Of all sightings in the plum microhabitat (n = 396), 72.2% were females. In the mango microhabitat, 33.5% of 424 individuals sighted were female. Adults moved back and forth between microhabitats, especially during early morning and late afternoon. Data on sightings of the parasitoid Doryctobracon areolatus in plum trees and adjacent native vegetation are given.