Cite this Systems Ecology Report as:

Nemecek, T., Fischlin, A., Derron, J. & Roth, O. (1993):  Distance and 
		Quantifying Behaviour Sequences of Winged Aphids
		on Potato Plants for Virus Epidemic Models.		
		Systems Ecology Report No. 11, Department of 
		Environmental Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute 
		of Technology ETH, Zurich, Switzerland, 16 pp. 

Abstract:

Behaviour sequences of Myzus persicae SULZER (potato colonizing) and Aphis fabae SCOP (noncolonizing) were observed in a climatic chamber and in the field. Three behaviour types were derived by visually comparing the sequences: host-rejection behaviour, searching behaviour and settling behaviour. A. fabae showed host-rejection behaviour more frequently than M. persicae. The proportion of settling behaviour increased with age. M. persicae was only able to fly during three days after hatching, while A. fabae, forced to live on potato plants, was able to fly until death. The behaviour in the climatic chamber differed from that in the field. The behaviour sequences became stationary after the first two to three minutes. Parameters for a Markov chain describing the behaviour sequences of alatae vectors on potato plants were estimated for use in virus epidemic models. A. fabae changed behaviour twice as frequently as M. persicae and showed higher flight, walking and probing frequencies than M. persicae.

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