THE INFLUENCE OF COMPANION HERBS ON EGG DISTRIBUTION OF THE IMPORTED CABBAGEWORM, PIERIS RAPAE (LEPIDOPTERA: PIERIDAE), ON COLLARD PLANTS

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Abstract
The effect of interplanting collards with a mixture of herbs on oviposition of the imported cabbageworm, Pieris rapae (L.), was investigated at Chesterfield Co., Virginia during 1981 and 1982. Analysis of the dispersion indices of the insect using Taylor's power law and Iwao's model revealed that P. rapae eggs were significantly — m (P < 0.001) clumped (b > 1) on collards interplanted with herbs. However, insect counts on control collards conformed to the Poisson distribution (b = 1, P > 0.05). Pieris rapae laid significantly (P < 0.01) more eggs on collards hidden between sage than on collards hidden between other companion plants. Also, P. rapae laid significantly (P < 0.005) more eggs on collards bordered by companion plants than on non-bordered control. These data suggest that companion herbs did not repel P. rapae but instead significantly encouraged colonization of the insect and produced an aggregated distribution.

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