01923nas a2200133   4500008004100000245012800041210006900169300001600238490000800254520135500262100001601617700001601633856014001649       1980                        eng d00aPredation by Lonchaea corticis (Diptera: Lonchaeidae) on the white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)0 aPredation by Lonchaea corticis Diptera Lonchaeidae on the white   a1259 - 12700 v1123 aThe predatory behavior of Lonchaea corticis Taylor on the white pine weevil, Pissodes strobi Peck, in Sitka spruce, Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr., was studied by temporal sampling and dissection of terminal leaders, and by laboratory experiments. L. corticis oviposition occurred when mining P. strobi larvae were consolidating the feeding ring, an event that segregates the weevil larvae into healthy front-feeders and weak, starving "followers." The number of L. corticis within a Sitka spruce terminal was highly correlated with the number of weak and dying P. strobi larvae, but not with healthy larvae.
L. corticis larvae experimentally deprived of dead P. strobi larvae, behaved as an effective predator, consuming both weak P. strobi larvae and healthy pupae, but apparently not healthy larvae. The transition of L. corticis from second to third instar appeared to occur only after sufficient weevils had been consumed. When an excess of prey was present, L. corticis larvae consumed a mean of 2.9 P. strobi pupae over their entire life cycle. In choice experiments, L. corticis larvae searched for and located mining P. strobi larvae, and fed preferentially on P. strobi pupae rather than granary weevil pupae, Sitophilus granarius L. Under certain circumstances, L. corticis could be an important regulatory agent of P. strobi populations.1 aAlfaro, R.I1 aBorden, J.H  uhttps://lonchaeidae.myspecies.info/predation-lonchaea-corticis-diptera-lonchaeidae-white-pine-weevil-pissodes-strobi-coleoptera-curculi