@article {8907,
	title = {Host-marking by female pepper weevils, Anthonomus eugenii},
	journal = {Entomologia Experimentalis Et Applicata},
	volume = {125},
	number = {3},
	year = {2007},
	month = {December},
	pages = {269-276},
	abstract = {Pepper weevils, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), feed and oviposit in flower buds and small fruits of plants in the genus Capsicum, as well as several species of Solanum (Solanaceae). Females chew a small hole into the fruit, deposit a single egg within the cavity, and seal the hole with a clear anal secretion that hardens into an {\textquoteright}oviposition plug{\textquoteright}. Female oviposition behavior was studied in a series of small-arena bioassays to determine whether previous oviposition in Jalapeno pepper fruit deterred subsequent oviposition and to determine what specific cues from an infested fruit influence female behavior. In choice and no-choice tests, females preferred clean fruit to fruit that had received four eggs 24 h previously (i.e., infested fruit), whether the fruit was infested with conspecific eggs or their own eggs. Further bioassays demonstrated that the presence of female frass, or oviposition plugs alone, in the absence of eggs or any fruit damage, was sufficient to deter oviposition. In addition, females given the choice between an infested fruit with the oviposition plug removed or an unaltered infested fruit preferred the fruit with no plugs, even when eggs, frass, and feeding damage were still present. To determine whether females would avoid infested peppers under more natural conditions, we quantified oviposition on infested and uninfested sentinel pepper fruit within individually caged plants and on clean and infested plants caged together. Females consistently laid more eggs on clean fruit than on infested fruits and moved within and among pepper plants to search for more acceptable oviposition sites. We conclude that oviposition plugs, along with contaminated female, but not male, frass contain a deterrent that, in the absence of any other cue, is enough to alert a female that a patch is occupied.},
	isbn = {0013-8703},
	author = {Addesso, K. M. and McAuslane, H. J. and Stansly, P. A. and Schuster, D. J.}
}
@article {8908,
	title = {Artificial substrates for oviposition and larval development of the pepper weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)},
	journal = {Journal of Economic Entomology},
	volume = {102},
	number = {1},
	year = {2009},
	month = {February},
	pages = {257-264},
	abstract = {The pepper weevil, Anthonomus eugenii Cano (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a major pest of cultivated peppers (Capsicum spp.) and other cultivated and wild species within the family Solanaceae. Laboratory study of this insect, as well as its biological control agents, will be greatly facilitated by an artificial rearing system that does not rely on pepper fruit. An egg collection method and amendments to a standard larval diet were investigated for use in the rearing of this weevil. Spherical sachets made of Parafilm or netting enclosing leaves of pepper, American black nightshade, eggplant, tomato, potato, and jasmine tobacco induced oviposition. Tomato, potato, and jasmine tobacco leaves were accepted despite the fact that these are not oviposition hosts for pepper weevils in the wild. A standard larval diet formula was modified in an attempt to improve egg hatch, larval survival, developmental time, and adult mass. The diet formula was modified with the addition of freeze-dried jalapeno pepper powder, an additional lipid source, alternate protein sources, and the removal of methyl paraben. None of the aforementioned treatments resulted in a significant improvement over the standard diet. Egg hatch was greater when eggs were incubated on moist paper towels rather than in diet; thus, placement of neonates rather than eggs into diet improved production of adults. Suggestions for more efficient rearing of weevils on the currently available diet and future directions for the development of an artificial rearing system for pepper weevil are discussed.},
	isbn = {0022-0493},
	author = {Addesso, K. M. and McAuslane, H. J. and Stansly, P. A. and Slansky, F. and Schuster, D. J.}
}
