Behavioral responses of western corn rootworm larvae to naturally occurring and synthetic hydroxamic acids.

Hydroxamic acids have been shown to be toxic to many pest insects and pathogens. In this study, the behavioral responses of western corn rootworm larvae to naturally occurring and synthetic hydroxamic acids were investigated. In a choice test between corn roots treated with hydroxamic acids and roots treated with distilled water (control), western corn rootworm larvae chose to burrow into the control roots significantly more often than compoundtreated roots. In addition, when corn roots were treated with different hydroxamic acids in a designed searching-behavior test, neonate larvae of western corn rootworm responded by significantly reducing the number of turns, while the area searched and locomotor rate significantly increased. The responses were dependent on the concentrations of the test compounds. These results suggested that hydroxamic acids were acting as behavior-modifying and possibly feeding-deterrent chemicals.