title: Avoidance, escape and microstructural adaptations of the tea green leafhopper to water droplets.
abstract: Rain and dew droplets can dislodge or drown small insects and may be important factors that drive adaptations for avoidance and escape. Studying the microstructure of small insects and insect behaviour can help understand these adaptations. We quantified avoidance behaviour and entrapment of nymphs and adults of the tea green leafhopper (Empoasca onukii) using simulated rainfall onto host plant foliage and made observations of pretarsi and abdomen microstructures. Adults responded rapidly to simulated rainfall and escaped by jumping whilst most young nymphs were washed from water-sprayed leaves though older nymphs tended to remain on leaves and subsequently escaped from water droplets. Adults had denser covering of water-repelling brochosomes on pretarsi and abdomen surface than nymphs, and were able to stand on water film whilst most nymphs had multiple penetrating tarsi. Removal of brochosomes from the abdomen of adults reduced hydrophobicity, demonstrating the hydrophobic significance of brochosomes in the capacity of leafhopper to escape from water droplets. Nymphs exhibited a higher pull-off force than adults. This research is one of the few studies to focus on the wettability and water avoidance of small insect pests and has implications for pest management.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Fujian-Taiwan Joint Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Meizhen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac Brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada.
authors.forename: Liette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vasseur
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Fujian-Taiwan Joint Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Fujian-Taiwan Joint Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Graham Centre, Charles Sturt University, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.
authors.forename: Geoff M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Gurr
authors.affiliation: Institute of Applied Ecology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Fujian-Taiwan Joint Centre for Ecological Control of Crop Pests, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.|Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management for Fujian-Taiwan Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Fuzhou 350002, China.
authors.forename: Minsheng
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: You
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D006430:Hemiptera / Q000502:physiology*; D011891:Rain