The Great Lakes Entomologist

Volume 15 Article 2
Number 3 - Fall 1982 Number 3 - Fall 1982

October 1982

The Distribution of Natural Enemies of the Corn Leaf Aphid

(Homoptera: Aphdidae) on Field Corn
S. W. Wagner
Michigan State University

W. G. Ruesink
Illinois Natural History Survey

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Recommended Citation
Wagner, S. W. and Ruesink, W. G. 1982. "The Distribution of Natural Enemies of the Corn Leaf Aphid
(Homoptera: Aphdidae) on Field Corn," The Great Lakes Entomologist, vol 15 (3)
Available at: https://scholar.valpo.edu/tgle/vol15/iss3/2

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 Wagner and Ruesink: The Distribution of Natural Enemies of the Corn Leaf Aphid (Homop

FIELD
THE DISTRIBUTION OF NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE CORN LEAF
APHID (HOMOPTERA: APHIDIDAE) ON CORN1
S. W. Wagner2
the and3 W.
G. Ruesink

The cornmaidis
d (CLA), Rhopalosiphum leaf (Fitch), is found on field corn in
midwest C nited States loweach
levels.year. Except for infrequent and scattered outbreaks, CLA
Injury
populations remain at to corn occurs during
was
which
by
colonizers
Yield
intasseling
Falter
the
arereductions
whorl
the
that
(Snelling
progeny
stage
arrived
averaging
(Bryson
et 2-3
aL 1941)
weeks earlier
up and caused CLAs of
when corn 1934, 1963).
to :H'C on heavily infested Randell
Everly
plants have been reponed {Bigger 1958, 1960,
196-"
Various workers
al.
and Long
planting
have date
shown (McColloch
that CLA biotype (Painter and Pathak 1%2), corn variety
IOemen 1971, et 1977) 1921, Falter
1963! can influence these
the
five
central
popUla­
CLA
natural
potential
research
was
corn
by Illinois
popUlation
non­
to
plants
fields
enemies
learn
populations
mostnatural
wasand
spatially(four
which
done
on
levels.
enemies,
whether
declined
abundant sets
species
The
any
afterespecially
synchronized impact
with of
tasseling. At each
the CLA. date, CLA
Alldata were taken concern­
was
.four
at ca.and seven
4-day timesing
intervals during
from the whorl
whorl
selected predator and phytophagous insect species, abundance, location, and field corn
maturity.
This
natural enemy populations onGroup undenaken
field corn were sampled during of
were in in of
and of in

_~phid and 1977

destructi',e of 20 of

and
CLA

I was located in Field I, which tasseled 7 July. Groups 2 and 3 were both in
Field 2: Group 1 tasseled 29 July, while Group 3 tasseled 16 August. data analysis,
For the
corn was divided into the upper plant (UP) and lower plant (LP). The UP consisted of
eirher consisted
thethat
whorl.
ponion
The leaves or LP of of
me com to the whorlthe
the toor vicinity
corn
the
the
parasitoids
second leaf
wasfrom
identified
the top of
A repesentative collection
d from aphid mummies collected from corn in of
three com of
by E. E. Grissell and
the the
Paul
the sampled
Systematic
M. Marsh
specimens
Illinois without
Entomology
of History
were
Natural Laboratory, USDA,
Survey insect
ere deposited
ltural Research Service, Beltsville, Maryland. The remainder of
in

cannot be five
five
each
marked
consecutive
group
destroying
plants plants
them,in
complement sothe
the another
vicinity
data sampling
gathered by procedure was Until tasselin
visual searches.
d at initiated in 1977 to
curred. of of of
were 5°C. The whorl was disassembled into a
h. shaken vigorously,
-()C( and the leaves and tassel were then rinsed with 70%

[This pUblication
Illinois
theis Illinois
Agriculture, ata Urbana-Champaign,
History contribution
Natural History
University of supported
Survey and
in part
Illinois Agricultural
In<:nt Station. CoUege of
Entomology. Michigan State University. of
East Lansing. MI48824.
llinois by Hatch 1-6-53193.
:Departmenr of
"atural Survey. 607 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL 61820.

153
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 The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 15, No. 3 [1982], Art. 2

154 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST Vol. 15, No.3

wasCLAs
then and
70% ethanol mesh/inch adult
filtered
organdy.through
The organdy
ca. 100
ted with a binocular microscope, and the number of Oriull
insidiosus was recorded.
the
In summer was
the removed
of 1978, plants indevelopment
three whorl of from
fields stage the whorl. Adult of
com in O.
were
as removed and the insects associated with each leaf were
leaf insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera:
Anthocoridae) and thrips were collected with an aspirator and preserved. O. insidiosus
specimens were sexed and the thrips were identified to species. These data were gathered to
the
determine whether thrips might serve as temporary prey for O. insidiosus prior to thegroupsthree
arrival fieldwhorl thro
from
averaged
the CLA.of0 to

RESULTS

The visual census of com

CLA 262 per plant(Table
groups
depending
Adult and
O. were
on thelocated
com primarily
on UP O. insidiosus averaged between 0.95 and 6.13 per UP during the
whorl stage. Neuropteran larvae averaged 0 to 0.67 per plant and andwere located on the LP
occinellids averaged between 0.05 and I.!O per the plant
LP. and were also found on
Frankliniella tenuieornis Uzel (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) were always present in the whorl
and in Sehizaphis graminum (Rodani)per (Homoptera:
most
plant anda was
few
Aphididae),
per
always the green­
located on the LP. Othe
ound infrequentlybug,withaveraged
average densities
from 0.4 to 14.3 insect~
of at 20 plants andtassel emergence
were also found on the LP. populations peaked within a week
CLA of of 128(91),38(79), and popU
236(479)therespectively,
same time asfor thetheUPthree groups. or
popUlation CLA a few days later and had peak values
at of 5.0(7.0),
1.4(2.4). and 25.9(97.7) for the three groups. adult O.
Populations of insidiosus on the UP peaked
peaked the
tassel emergence
within 5 days of
Ulations on LP 3-11 days after after
thistasselandemergence.
adult
tasseling.
predator Correla­
shifted The relative
from the UP distribu­
prior to tasseling to the
ons tion of LP
of CLA O. insidiosus numbersboth on individual plants within a sampling date for
the UP were significant once each at 0.05 and O.OlleveJ theandthe
distribution
were
CLA,not significant on 16
nalysis of of O. insidiosus and F. tcnllicornis
from the destructive
onewhorls
randomindicated
another sampling
with that of their distribution is
to (X2, 2 x 2 contingency table, P > 0.05, n 176,57 plants in 1977 and
119 plants in 1978). O. insidiosus adults were observed thrips, probably
feeding on CLAs on four occasions
and once on F. tenuicornis.
Observations during the summers of 1977 and 1978 indicated that F. tenllicornis colonized shucks.
for inallthethis wasun
whorl
life prior
plants stages. The
tasseling
to the onlystage.
whorl when
exception
populations
Coccinellid
Individuals and decline and the
neuropteran
remain under are found
distributions
leaf in the
sheath were
or almost exclusively limited to
ear
LP
to Hippodamia convergens Guerin-Meneville
(Coleoptera: Coecinellidae) adults with the63.2% located on the UP. In contrast, 93.2% of
Coleomegilla maelliata (DeGeer) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) adults were whichon the LP
is a significantly different distribution (X' analysis of 2 x 2 contingency table, P < 0.00(5)
and in keepingEwert with
and the
Chiangresults of (1%7).
The density one
potential
of predators did not correlate well with aphid density except in
with non-CLA populations on the
LP < 0.01, r 0.60, n = 18). Otherwise, number
the
either
aphids
parasitoids
neither
Knownaphid
coccinellids
found
eggs
density.
primaryemerged
nor
on parasitoids
the
On
larvae
preceding
the
from
of
premise
the sampling
aphid
that predator
composed mummies
date, or
but
populations
that
in this
werecase
coln
significantly greater than zero.
ated should lag behind prey
returned popUlations,
to
to LP the laboratorythe analysis
(Table was repeated comparing predator density
with
the of of

of
2). 18.7% of those

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 Wagner and Ruesink: The Distribution of Natural Enemies of the Corn Leaf Aphid (Homop

Tahle I. Average
during
rlants
ropulation
Ihe
whorls
IIwnitol'ed
of plnnts
levels
perimlieally,
locllted
on threeIleal'
IolIUUPS
the of ami in Ioll'OlIpS.
of 11)77.
b ~
'.I
Sampling Orlus Other
'russel Method and Adults CLA
roonbug' Aphids
(J Ncur0t?terun CoccinoLlld
Date Emergence Number UP LI) UP LP LP LP Eggs Larvae Eggs Lal'vao

1 7-02 Before W 23
54.80 1.04 0.05
7-10 After E 21 0.95 0.62 89.140.24
14.30
3.50 3.52 0040 0.00 0.90 0.48
After E 20 0.75 0.25 127.90 2.70
5.00 1.80 0.25 4.95 0.70 ...,
After E 20 0.75 1.65 0.75
48.80 1.10 8.15 1045 0.00 3.70 1.10 :I:
After 20 0.40 14.25
0.75 3.20 tTl
E 0.20
1.60 1.00 W 0.05 0.00 0.55
After E 20 0.00 2.50
1.80 0.50
1.35 0.60 0.10 0.00 0.15 a:;:Q
tTl
2 7-12 Before E 20 1.15 0.05 10.00 1.10 11.8 1.10 0.95 0.20 2.40 0.15 ...,>­
Before 20 1.05 0.60
Before E 20 1. 95 0.10 0.00 0.00 11. 25 3.45 0.20 !;:
;:-::
Before E 20 1.10 0.25 0.20 0.00 0.95 0.05 tTl
Before W 14 2.60
2.14 0.90 4.300.00 CIl
Before 20
E4.00 1.10
0.90 0.3527.35 0.25
0.55 0.05 2.85 0.70 0.85 0.10 1.30 0.10 tTl
Z
...,
Before W 16 4.31 24.94
7-28 Before E 20 2.85 3.35 37.75 0.05 2.15 0.25 0.55 0.00 0.60 0.10 0
8-01 ~
After E 20 5.90 7.05 24.40 lAO1.45 0.10 0.95 0.05 2.05 0.10 0
8-06 After E 20 2.95 2.70 0.00 0.65 0.50 0.05 0.85 0.00 8.65 0.25 r

3 8-8
& 10 Before
Before
E
E
20
15
5.90
6.13
2.80 234.90
4.07 236.27
0.00
25.87
1. 20
0.67
0.20
0.07
0.40
0.33
0.00
0.67
1.15
5.27
0.25
0.07
-
0
a
...,
CIl

& 20 After E 20 4.60 4.35 187.45 13.95 0.90 3.00 0.00 0.00 6.35 0.25
8-24 After E 20 1.65 3.55 87.15 7-29;2 3 0.40
2,5.30
7-7; 0.40 8-16.
0.10 0.05 4.60 0.35

field tasseled field tasseled field 2, delayed germination tasseled

entire plant was visually sampled (see Methods); W, only whorl was sampled (see Methods). V;
Vl

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 The Great Lakes Entomologist, Vol. 15, No. 3 [1982], Art. 2

156 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST

Urbana, Illinois, mummies Vol. 15,
of total
No.3 affinitya

Braconidae Number Percent Trophic

aras ito ids reared from unidentified aphidParasitoid
mummies collected
corn at in 1977.

of

Aphidius sp. 17 IS.7 1°

Tetrastichlls minutus (Howard) 14 15.4 Ie

Encrytidae
Aphidencyrtus aphidivorus (Mary) 3 3.3 IIe
Genus sp. I 1.1 ?
Pteromalidae sp.
Asaphes 11 12.1 ?
PachneurOI1 siphOl1ophorae (Ashmead) 42 46.2 lIO
P. altisclltum (Cook) I 1.1 ?
Megaspilidae
Dendrocerus niger (Howard) 2 2.2 ?

a1° = primary parasite

aphid.
aphid,
secondary
of n°
parasite of

emergmg, would
these
miles
clusters
whileLP,
appear
field
greenbug.
theapat1) often
three that far less
observations
and
The
species
onnumber than that
indicate
composing potential
64.9% of thoseCLA naturalwere
emerging enemies other para­
secondary
red on percent parasitism,
than O.sitoids. The trophic relationships of the remaining 16.5% are not known. Mummies on the
monitored plants were located on in of of
DISCUSSION (2 com of

it 1% of
in 1977.

of
insidiosus were generally restricted
The only to
exception
the LP and
to this
thus
was
could have little effect on
CLA com. H. collvergens adults, butdynamics by th
and Havnv
any significant impact on CLA (maximum population O.2/plant). Ewert and C
(1967) and Frye (1%9)
noted associations between CLAs and both H. convergells and H. tridecimpllnctata, but O
neither indicated that these species control CLAs.
Between-plant distribution of illsidiosus is only all,
slightly
analysis.
by the
affected,
This according
CLA distribution
if at to
en-plant distribution of our of O.
insidiosus adults is consistent
a floating
description
withadult
Isenhour'S (1977) of Orills
andHe
population. soybean
arguedfields under study.
that adults Thissample
constantly behavior
thewould tend to bring
environment, the from plant to
moving
g adult
tions plant within the com
are small and
predator

The O. insidiosus density levels

suggested
of ca.
often
which
Dicke
l/plant
presentthat
could
and
found
in
Jarvis
impact
in this
1%2)
CLA
study
indicates
populations.
and by
that this
Whilepredato
Dicke
others and
1936,Jarvis (1962) and Havnvik and Frye is
com at
(1969) O. insidiosus may have populat
their stud
controlled CLA in feeding studies have not been conducted

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 Wagner and Ruesink: The Distribution of Natural Enemies of the Corn Leaf Aphid (Homop

1982 THE GREAT LAKES ENTOMOLOGIST 157

LITERATURE CITED

rber. G. W. 1936. Drills illsidiosus (Say), an important Tech.

the corn Bull. enemy of
ear­
natural
CSD.-\. 504.
Bigger. J. H. 1958. Damage to the corn crop by the corn leaf aphid. Proc. North-Central Br.
EnLOmol. 13:19-20.
Bryson. H. R. 1934. Observations on the summer activities of Aphis maidis Fitch. J. Econ.
Entomol. 27:827-S32.
Dicke. F. F. and J. L. Jarvis. 1%2. The habits and seasonal abundance of Drills insidiosllS
,Say, (Hemiptera-Homoptera: Anthocoridae) on corn. J. Kansas. Entomol. Soc. 35:339­
3-14.
E \erl)". R. T. 1%0. Loss in corn yield the corn
associated
leaf aphid,
with the abundance of
Rhopalosiphllm maidis, in Indiana. 1. Econ. Entomol. 53:924-932.
- - - - . 1971. Corn leaf aphid populations on singlecrosses from resistant and susceptible
Br. EntomoL Soc.dent
Amer. 26:46-52.
Ewert. ~L A. and H. C. Chiang. 1967. Effects of some threeenvironmental
Coccinellidaefactors on the
in their distri­
microhabitat.
bution of in L Hodek (ed.). Ecology of
aphidophagous insects.The Proc. Symp. Liblice
bionomics near Prague. Academia, Prague.
and control
Falter. 1. ~L 1%3. of Rhopalosiphllm maidis (Fitch) in Wiscon­B.
sin. Ph.D. thesis. Univ. Wisconsin, Madison.
Gernert. W. 1917. Aphis immunity teosinte-corn
of hybrids. Science 46:390-392.
Ha\n\ik. J. L and R. D. Frye. 1%9. Predaceous insects and their prey on corn in
south­
eastern
. North-Central Br. Entomol. Soc. Amer. 24:87-92.
Isenhour. D.J. 1977.fluctuations
Seasonal of DrillS insidioslls (Say) andMissouri.
Thysanoptera
M.S.inthesis. Univ. M
adjacent soybeans and corn inLong. B.
1.. G. ':\f. Dunn, J. S. Bowman,Routley. and D. G. 1977. Relationship
corn
ofand resistance to
nydroxamic acid content in 17:55-58.
~fcColloch. J. W. 192!. The corn leaf aphid (Aphis maidis Fitch) in Kansas. J. Econ.
Emomol. 14:89-94.
Painter. E.
R. Pathak.
H. and M. leafthe
1962. The distinguishingaphid
the features and significance of
of com Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch). Proc. Intern.
XI
Congr. Entomol. 2:110-115.
Randell. Evaluating
R. leaf
1967.
aphidgross
infestations.
yield losses caused by severe com
ng School Manual 19:34-36.
Snelling. R. 0 .. R. A. Blanchard, and J. H. Bigger, 1940. Resistance of corn strains to the
leaf A.phis maidis (Fitch). Amer. Soc. Agron. J. 32:371-381.

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