Feeding behavior of European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner), on a range of host plants

The European corn borer (ECB), Ostrinia nubialis (Hübner), is an herbivore on over 200 documented hosts in the United States and Canada. ECB is most notably a pest of corn (Zea mays L.), causing more than 1 billion US dollars in annual yield loss and management/prevention costs.  The feeding behavior of insects, including ECB, depends on multiple factors including physical and chemical features presented by the plant and the insect’s response to these cues.  Here, we studied the feeding of ECB for foraging on a range of host plants that vary in defensive chemistries.  We placed egg clusters on individual plants of each host type, and larvae were allowed to feed in a split design either until 4^th instar or to pupation.  Data were collected to determine how ECB development, survivorship, and other fitness characteristics varied across the range of host plants, some of which were potentially unfavorable (Cry1F field corn, squash, cucumber, and tomato) or favorable (sweet corn, Cry1F near isoline, and snap bean) hosts.  The objective was to determine if unfavorable natural host plants have effects on ECB similar to transgenic corn.  Preliminary results suggest this to be true, more results are expected by the end of Summer 2014.