Host plant-mediated prey preference and consumption by an aphidophagous ladybird, Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control

Table 2 Preference indices (β and C) evaluated from different aphid proportions (Acraccivora: L. erysimi) exposed to M. sexmaculatus in cafeteria experiment

Predator	Aphid ratio	β index	t value	C index	t value
Adult male M. sexmaculatus	50:100	0.700 ± 0.06	t = 5.54; P < 0.01	1.851 ± 0.39	t = 7.16; P < 0.01
	75:75	0.783 ± 0.05	t = 5.58; P < 0.01	1.515 ± 0.25	t = 6.03; P < 0.01
	100:50	0.716 ± 0.06	t = 6.25; P < 0.01	1.967 ± 0.78	t = 8.25; P < 0.01
Adult female M. sexmaculatus	50:100	0.670 ± 0.06	t = 2.14; P < 0.05	1.539 ± 0.33	t = 2.62; P < 0.05
	75:75	0.615 ± 0.04	t = 2.84; P < 0.05	1.596 ± 0.20	t = 2.89 P < 0.05
	100:50	0.565 ± 0.03	t = 2.41; P < 0.05	1.498 ± 0.22	t = 2.54; P < 0.05

Ladybird prefers A. craccivora if β is close to 1 and L. erysimi if β is close to 0. Similarly, A. craccivora is preferred if the C index is more than 1 and L. erysimi is preferred if the C index is less than 1