Seasonal Occurrence of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Its Parasitoid on Ashwagandha in India

The outbreak of Henosepilachna vigintioctopunctata (F.) was noticed on a medicinal plant, Withania somnifera Dunal during 2004-05. The population level of the pest was reached its peak in August. The parasitoid Pediobius foveolatus caused 51.94±12.20 parasitism. The pest completed its life cycle in 20.15±1.50 days on W. somnifera. The longevity of the male and female adults of the pest was 22.07±3.71 and 31.07±4.38 days, respectively. The gravid females of H. vigintioctopunctata laid an average of 287.64±33.38 eggs during their oviposition period of 10.40±2.80 days. © 2006 Korean Society of Applied Entomology, Taiwan Entomological Society and Malaysian Plant Protection Society

Inter-And Intraspecific Interactions in Two Mealybug Predators Spalgis epius and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri in the Presence and Absence of Prey

Spalgis epius and Cryptolaemus montrouzieri are the two potential predators of different species of mealybugs. However, the mode of their interactions is not known to use these predators together in the field. Hence, we investigated on the possible interactions i.e., cannibalism, intraguild predation (IGP) and competition between the predators in the presence and absence of prey Planococcus citri. In the presence of prey, no cannibalism and predation were observed in both S. epius and C. montrouzieri larvae. A pair of S. epius larvae consumed significantly more number of mealybugs than one S. epius/C. montrouzieri larva or a pair of C. montrouzieri larvae. The predation of S. epius larva by C. montrouzieri larva was significantly more than the predation of C. montrouzieri by S. epius. Conspecific and interspecific egg predation was absent both in S. epius and C. montrouzieri. Cannibalism in C. montrouzieri was more than that in S. epius. The study indicated that C. montrouzieri larvae can be used as an additive along with voracious S. epius larvae under abundant prey population. IGP was asymmetric between the two predators intheabsence of prey. Both S. epius and C. montrouzieri larvae can maintain a stable coexistence when prey is abundantly available, however, in the complete absence of prey C. montrouzieri may dominate the guild. This study provides an insight into the possible complex inter- and intraspecific predatory phenomena in the field to use these two predators in the biological control of mealybugs

Temporal and spatial avian community composition in urban landscapes of the Bengaluru region, India

A study was undertaken to know the abundance, diversity and species richness of bird communities in urban landscapes of Bengaluru region, India. One hundred and eighteen species of birds belonging to 43 families under 78 genera was documented. Of them, Gyps indicus, Neophron percnopterus and Parus nuchalis were critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable species. Among 19 landscapes, the mean population density (number of birds seen/km2) was highest at Bannerghatta National Park and lowest at Kempegowda Bus Station. Species diversity, species evenness and richness of bird communities were significantly different between landscapes. Seasonal occurrence of bird species was not significantly different. The mean population density of birds was positively correlated with tree density and negatively correlated with canopy coverage, human population density and buildings

Occurrence of House Sparrow, Passer Domesticus Indicus in and around Bangalore

Birds are often common denizens of the ecosystem and have been considered as an indicator species of inhabited areas1. Studies showed that depressed abundance of various bird species in most parts of the world today, especially in urban areas, is of particular concern as many cities are growing rapidly both in area and population2,3. Among the various species of birds, the house sparrow Passer domesticus indicus (Passeriformes: Ploceidae) is one of the familiar species that has followed man everywhere and is inseparable from human habitations. The nonmigratory sparrows are widely distributed in the Indian subcontinent and occur worldwide

Abundance of Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes Edwardsii (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818) (Carnivora: Herpestidae) in the Bengaluru Region

Indian Grey Mongoose, Herpestes edwardsii is common throughout the Indian subcontinent. To investigate the abundance of this species, a study was conducted in different urban locations of the Bengaluru, Karnataka State of South India. A significant difference was found among the relative percentage abundance of mongooses in various study locations. The highest abundance of mongoose was recorded from prohibited places, mostly in the rural and suburban regions, and the least in the urban region depending upon the availability of food and protected shelter in the reed beds and thickets of aquatic vegetation, particularly during the breeding season. They usually breed on the ground and need shelter from direct sunrays as well as potential predators during this period. This mongoose species also prefers shelter in the reed beds and thickets of aquatic vegetation and the suburban and rural region for diurnal activities

Mass rearing of Spalgis epius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae), a potential predator of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

Spalgis epius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) has been recorded as a potential predator of various species of mealybug crop pests worldwide. We describe the mass rearing of S. epius, as no information on this topic is available. Outdoor nylon tent cages of different dimensions were provided to achieve mating and oviposition as S. epius adults did not mate in the laboratory cages. Adults mated only in the tent cage (6 x 6 x 10 m) placed over a native tree (9 m height). The presence of a tree canopy inside the cage is essential to achieve courtship and mating. Gravid females of S. epius deposited eggs on the mealybug-infested pumpkins inside the different sized nylon cages with or without a bush/tree. Spalgis epius eggs were maintained on mealybug-infested pumpkins in the laboratory and developmental stages of the predator were reared. Adults fed on various diets laid significantly higher number of eggs than those of starved individuals. Spalgis epius with a life cycle completed in 21.2 days and 55.7 larvae, could be reared on a single mealybug-infested pumpkin

Impact of threats on avifaunal communities in diversely urbanized landscapes of the Bengaluru city, south India

Identification of threats contributing to occurrence and range distribution of avifaunal communities is poorly known in diversely urbanized landscapes of the Bengaluru city, south India. For the first time, we investigated the disturbance scores along the low (LDS) to high disturbance sites (HDS) with respect to various parameters, i.e. canopy cover, vegetation structure and its composition. We examined their habitat associations and the potential effects on them corresponding to various threats including human development pressure and other habitat suitability indices in urban landscapes of the Bengaluru region. HDS with a lower number of bird species harbour more threat scores than the LDS with the highest number of bird species. Habitat alteration, practice of monoculture plantations, improper waste management and grass cutting were more commonly observed threats in landscapes of the Bengaluru region. The maximum number of perching plant species was characteristic of low disturbance sites with a greater fraction of moist deciduous species. Canopy coverage of plants/trees and the structure of canopy cover were the highest in LDS with the highest strata of the vegetation cover. Human development pressure was the highest in HDS. Management further includes several approaches for the maintenance of urban landscapes for avian communities to minimize bird problems and promote management options that favour bird diversity. © 2017 Nature Research Centre

Community Composition of Aquatic Birds in Lakes of Bangalore, India

Observations were made on the occurrence, abundance, richness, and diversity of waterbirds in 15 major lakes in Bangalore city during 2008 - 2009. During the study period 35 species of aquatic birds were recorded. The number of aquatic bird species recorded at various lakes ranged from 23 to 35. The percent abundance of waterbirds recorded in the study lakes ranged from 2.46 to 21.49 and it was significantly different (p<0.05). The diversity and species evenness of waterbirds in the lakes ranged from 2.07 to 3.16 and 0.32 to 0.76, respectively. There was a significant difference (p0.05). There was a variation in number of waterbird species recorded during summer, monsoon and winter seasons. Of the 35 waterbird species, Bubulcus ibis showed cent percent frequency, whereas less frequently (4.44%) observed species was Anas platyrhynchos. Among various waterbird species, Bubulcus ibis, Fulica atra, Tringa hypoleucos, Motacilla maderaspatensis, Phalacrocorax niger, Egretta garzetta, Charadrius dubius, Ardeola grayji, Halcyon smyrnensis and Motacilla alba were frequently encountered in most of the study lakes

Eco-Spatial and Temporal Variation in Waterbirds Composition and their Relationship with Habitat Characteristics of Urban Lakes of Bengaluru City, India

Eco - spatial and temporal variation in the occurrence, abundance, density, diversity and community composition of aquatic birds in relation to the characteristics of lakes was studied from February 2008 to January 2010 in Bengaluru city. The species diversity, evenness, and richness of waterbird species were varied among different lakes. Also, the indices of various waterbird popul ations at different lakes between two years were significantly different (paired Student’s t - test at P0.05). The decrease in an anthropogenic disturbances and an increasing water depth of lakes show positive impact on the aquatic avian density in the urban lakes. The present study clearly brought out the need for preparing and implementing the specif ic conservation plans for urban lake ecosystem