The response of carabid and staphylinid beetles to patches of their cereal aphid prey
The response of carabid and staphylinid beetles to patches of their cereal aphid prey
Field studies were carried out in each of 1982, 1983 and 1984 to determine how polyphagous beetles respond to patches of cereal aphids in winter wheat. In each year discrete (4 m2 or c. 0.77 m2) patches of aphids were created by the infestation of wheat within field cages. The numbers of polyphagous beetles in these patch areas and in uninfested, previously uncaged, control areas were determined by either pitfall trapping or absolute sampling. These comparisons were made only after the cages over the patch areas had been removed. The beetles were sexed and the carabids dissected for the presence/absence of aphid remains. Experiments were carried out to determine the effects of between-patch variations in aphid density and patch size on the patch/control response. Many species of carabid and staphylinid showed significant patch-responses, i.e. were captured/collected in significantly larger numbers in the patch areas. However, no species showed a patch-response on all occasions when patch-control comparisons were made. Species were grouped according to their degree of responsiveness. The main patch-responding carabids were Agonum dorsale, Bembidion lampros and Bembidion obtusum. The main patch-responding staphylinids were Philonthus cognatus, Tachyporus chrysomelinus, Tachyporus hyporum and Tachyporus obtusus. The number of patch-responding species (carabids and staphylinids combined) was higher for the early-season sampling period than for the late periods. On most occasions the incidence of aphid feeding by the main patch-responding carabids was significantly higher in the patch areas than the controls. The consequences of these results for the development of an integrated pest management strategy for aphids in cereals are discussed as are the broader ecological implications. (D80129/88)
University of Southampton
1987
Bryan, Kevin Michael
(1987)
The response of carabid and staphylinid beetles to patches of their cereal aphid prey.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
Field studies were carried out in each of 1982, 1983 and 1984 to determine how polyphagous beetles respond to patches of cereal aphids in winter wheat. In each year discrete (4 m2 or c. 0.77 m2) patches of aphids were created by the infestation of wheat within field cages. The numbers of polyphagous beetles in these patch areas and in uninfested, previously uncaged, control areas were determined by either pitfall trapping or absolute sampling. These comparisons were made only after the cages over the patch areas had been removed. The beetles were sexed and the carabids dissected for the presence/absence of aphid remains. Experiments were carried out to determine the effects of between-patch variations in aphid density and patch size on the patch/control response. Many species of carabid and staphylinid showed significant patch-responses, i.e. were captured/collected in significantly larger numbers in the patch areas. However, no species showed a patch-response on all occasions when patch-control comparisons were made. Species were grouped according to their degree of responsiveness. The main patch-responding carabids were Agonum dorsale, Bembidion lampros and Bembidion obtusum. The main patch-responding staphylinids were Philonthus cognatus, Tachyporus chrysomelinus, Tachyporus hyporum and Tachyporus obtusus. The number of patch-responding species (carabids and staphylinids combined) was higher for the early-season sampling period than for the late periods. On most occasions the incidence of aphid feeding by the main patch-responding carabids was significantly higher in the patch areas than the controls. The consequences of these results for the development of an integrated pest management strategy for aphids in cereals are discussed as are the broader ecological implications. (D80129/88)
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Published date: 1987
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Local EPrints ID: 461383
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/461383
PURE UUID: a8198609-c7d6-4499-a540-8ba51c21d9f9
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 18:45
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 18:45
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Author:
Kevin Michael Bryan
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