Movement of Adult Colorado Potato Beetles, \u3ci\u3eLeptinotarsa Decemlineata\u3c/i\u3e (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), in Response to Isolated Potato Plots

Mark recapture techniques were used to determine Colorado potato beetle movement in circular arenas with isolated plots of potatoes at each ordinal direction. Post-diapause beetles aggregated on one or a few of the plants in one of the plots for each release, but not on the same plants in different releases. Differences in plant attractiveness were therefore not likely responsible for the aggregatory behavior. Aggregations were probably a result of either coordinated movement from the release site to the plants or an aggregatory signal with a range of at least 15 m. Summer adults did not aggregate on plants. Correlations of summer beetle recapture distributions to wind direction showed that anemotactic behavior could not account for the major portion of variation in beetle orientation to the potato plots. Some positive attraction to the plots was indicated because more beetles were recaptured at the plots than would be expected from random motion. The number of beetles recaptured at plots covered by cheesecloth was not significantly different from recaptures on uncovered plots, indicating little reliance on visual cues specific to potatoes for location of the plants