“It’s a tough world out there when you’re an herbivore, particularly for us insects.” I’m a Green Stinkbug (Nezara viridula). I’ll guide you through some of current battles between us and plants. These battles are constant, and have been on-going since the rise of the first plants and insects. This co-evolution process has developed symbiotic relationships- both good (commensalism) and bad (predation/parasitism) depending on whose side you’re on. The relationships we’ll see are between insects, plants, parasitoids (nasty things!) and occasionally humans. I will also clarify any misconceptions that have developed in the human world, you’ll know the real story.
To begin, there are some details to know. Plants have deterrents and toxins in their …show more content…
This next scenario is more complicated and involves plants, insects, parasitoids and humans. The tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) feeds on various species of the Solanale order which includes eggplants, potatoes, peppers, nightshades, tomatoes, petunias and of course, tobacco (Nicotiana attenuate). The larvae are defoliators and eat almost all of the leaves on a plant including fruit and blossoms. The larvae fill a different niche from their adult counterparts which feed on nectar. However, 70%-90% of foliage consumption is during the final instar. The tobacco hornworm, like is relative the tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) is an agricultural pest in Florida especially. Humans try to control their populations by releasing one their natural enemies: the braconid wasp (Cotesia congregates), in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) this is known as biocontrol. These are endoparasitoid wasps in the hymenoptera order. They lay multiple eggs on the back of the hornworm which when they hatch live inside the hornworm and feed on the inside. After a few days, they emerge as pupa and then after a few days, hatch out of their cocoons the hornworm dies from being eaten and wounded. However, that is only the human tactic, though they use light traps for these
To begin, there are some details to know. Plants have deterrents and toxins in their …show more content…
This next scenario is more complicated and involves plants, insects, parasitoids and humans. The tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) feeds on various species of the Solanale order which includes eggplants, potatoes, peppers, nightshades, tomatoes, petunias and of course, tobacco (Nicotiana attenuate). The larvae are defoliators and eat almost all of the leaves on a plant including fruit and blossoms. The larvae fill a different niche from their adult counterparts which feed on nectar. However, 70%-90% of foliage consumption is during the final instar. The tobacco hornworm, like is relative the tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) is an agricultural pest in Florida especially. Humans try to control their populations by releasing one their natural enemies: the braconid wasp (Cotesia congregates), in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) this is known as biocontrol. These are endoparasitoid wasps in the hymenoptera order. They lay multiple eggs on the back of the hornworm which when they hatch live inside the hornworm and feed on the inside. After a few days, they emerge as pupa and then after a few days, hatch out of their cocoons the hornworm dies from being eaten and wounded. However, that is only the human tactic, though they use light traps for these