Entomology, Ornithology & Herpetology: Current Research
Open Access

Abstract

Flight and Aggregation of the Rice Black Bug (RBB), Scotinophara coarctata Indicate an Ovipositional Preference for the Booting Stage of Rice

Dennis C. Ramo*, Celia Medina, Luis Rey I. Velasco, Barbara L. Caoili and Rowena Dt. Baconguis

Mass flight and aggregation behavior of the Rice Black Bug (RBB), Scotinophara coarctata are poorly understood. This paper was designed to investigate a possible explanation of the flight and aggregation of RBB by linking these behaviors to the reproduction of the bug and rice phenology. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine if the oviposition of RBB is confined to a certain phenological stage of rice. Behavioral experiments showed that RBB discriminated against the seedling stage as an oviposition site. The significantly higher number of egg masses laid on the booting and soft dough stages of rice, as well as the number of visits and the length of time RBB, stayed on these stages indicate a preference over other phenological stages. Results of the study signify that RBB oviposition is restricted to certain phenology of rice. Because of this specific requirement in oviposition, a wide-scale absence of appropriate growth stage of rice and other possible host plants in an area for an extended period could be a driving factor that leads to flight and aggregate to seek favorable habitat involving a large number of individuals. It is recommended that a landscape-scale of analysis should be done to further test the above hypothesis.

Published Date: 2021-07-27; Received Date: 2021-07-06