Wd. Woodson, EFFECT OF SPECIES COMPOSITION ON THE SURVIVAL AND DEVELOPMENT OF WESTERN AND NORTHERN CORN-ROOTWORM (COLEOPTERA, CHRYSOMELIDAE), Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 66(4), 1993, pp. 377-382
The effects of interspecific competition between northern and western
corn rootworm larvae were examined under greenhouse conditions. Potted
corn seedlings were infested with predetermined (mixed) numbers of em
bryonated eggs to determine how interspecific competition would affect
survivorship, sex ratio, and developmental time for each species. Sur
vivorship of both species declined as population densities of the oppo
site species increased. Sex ratios of both species were influenced by
the population densities of the opposite species. Females declined as
the level of the other species increased. The slope of cumulative adul
t emergence was the same for heterogeneous populations and homogeneous
populations of each species.