Effects of Air Pollutants on Plant-Insect Interactions: Reactions of the Mexican Bean Beetle 1 to So 2 -Fumigated Pinto Beans 2

Larvae of the Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Mulsant, were fed on foliage from pinto beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) that were exposed to SO 2 at 390 μg·m −3 for 7 days. No differences in growth, development time, or survivorship were observed when compared with larvae fed on control foliage. The number of eggs per mass was higher for females fed fumigated foliage, but the time between deposition of eggs was longer, resulting in no difference between treatments in the mean number of eggs laid per female in a 10-day period. In tests of adult feeding preference, females showed a significant preference for fumigated tissue.