Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-15T03:35:55.714Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

ACTIVITY AND DISTRIBUTION OF CARABIDAE, ARACHNIDA, AND STAPHYLINIDAE IN NEW BRUNSWICK POTATO FIELDS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2012

Gilles Boiteau
Affiliation:
Research Station, Agriculture Canada, Fredericton, New Brunswick E3B 4Z7

Abstract

A 3-year faunal survey of insecticide-free potato fields revealed that Carabidae were the most abundant ground arthropods followed by Arachnida and Staphylinidae. Generic and species composition of Carabidae did not vary substantially from year to year but abundance did. The arthropods were distributed along a gradient decreasing with distance from the edge of the field closest to the woodland. Results of yellow pan trappings indicated that all types of Carabidae present in the pitfalls could fly but that flight activity was variable among genera. More than 50% of Staphylinidae and 85% of the Carabidae were trapped in the yellow pans at the time of field colonization in June. The significance of these findings in relation to the potential of the arthropods for natural biological control of potato pests is discussed.

Résumé

Un inventaire faunique de trois ans effectué dans des champs de pomme de terre où l'on n'utilisait pas d'insecticides a révélé que les Carabidae étaient les arthropodes du sol les plus abondants suivis par les Arachnida et les Staphylinidae. Contrairement à leur abondance, la composition générique et spécifique des Carabidae n'a pas varié substantiellement d'une année à l'autre. Les arthropodes étaient distribués le long d'un gradient décroissant depuis la bordure du champ située à proximité de la forêt jusqu'à la bordure opposée. Les résultats du trappage au piège Moericke ont indiqué que tous les types de Carabidae présents dans les pièges de Barber pouvaient voler mais que l'activité de vol était variable parmi les différents genres. Plus de 50% des Staphylinidae et 85% des Carabidae ont été capturés au piège de Moericke durant le mois de juin, c'est-à-dire au moment de la colonisation des champs. L'importance de ces résultats en rapport avec le potentiel de ces arthropodes pour la lutte biologique naturelle contre les insectes nuisibles de la pomme de terre est discutée.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Entomological Society of Canada 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Allen, R. T. 1979. The occurrence and importance of ground beetles in agricultural and surrounding habitats. pp. 484505in Erwin, T. L., Ball, G. E., and Whitehead, D. R. (Eds.), Carabid Beetles: Their Evolution, Natural History and Classification. Junk.Google Scholar
Anonymous. 1979. Atlantic Canada Potato Guide. New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Fredericton.Google Scholar
Boiteau, G. 1983. The arthropod community of potato fields in New Brunswick 1979–1981. Can. Ent. 115: 847853.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dillon, E. S. and Dillon, L. S.. 1961. A manual of common beetles of eastern North America. Row, Peterson. 884 pp.Google Scholar
Doane, J. R. and Dondale, C. D.. 1979. Seasonal captures of spiders (Araneae) in a wheat field and its grassy borders in central Saskatchewan. Can. Ent. 111: 439445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dritschilo, W. and Wanner, D.. 1980. Ground beetle abundance in organic and conventional corn fields. Environ. Ent. 9: 629631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Frank, J. H. 1971. Carabidae (Coleoptera) of an arable field in central Alberta. Quaest. ent. 7: 237252.Google Scholar
Galecka, B. 1966. The role of predators in the reduction of two species of potato aphids, Aphis nasturtii Kalt. and A. frangulae Kalt. Ekol. pol. (A) 14: 245273.Google Scholar
House, G. J. and All, J. N.. 1981. Carabid beetles in soybean agroecosystems. Environ. Ent. 10: 194196.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hsin, C.-Y., Sellers, L. G., and Dahm, P. A.. 1979. Seasonal activity of carabids and the toxicity of carbofuran and terbufos to Pterostichus chalcites. Environ. Ent. 8: 154159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ihrke, T. R. and Bartell, D. P.. 1979. Insects associated with potatoes in West Texas. SWest. Ent. 4: 289293.Google Scholar
Jones, M. G. 1979. The abundance and reproductive activity of common Carabidae in a winter wheat crop. Ecol. Ent. 4: 3143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karg, J. 1970. Elimination of the Colorado beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say) by Carabidae. Bull. int. Acad. pol. Sci. Lett. 18: 397400.Google Scholar
Kirk, V. M. 1971. Ground beetles in cropland in South Dakota. Ann. ent. Soc. Am. 64: 238241.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luff, M. L. 1980. The biology of the ground beetle Harpalus rufipes in a strawberry field in Northumberland. Ann. appl. Biol. 94: 153164.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mack, T. P. and Smilowitz, Z.. 1980. The development of a green peach aphid natural enemy sampling procedure. Environ. Ent. 9: 440445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rivard, I. 1966. Ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in relation to agricultural crops. Can. Ent. 98: 189195.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scherney, F. 1960. Beiträge zur biologie und okonomischen bedeutung räuberish lebender käferarten. Untersuchungen über da auftreten von laufkäfern (Carabidae) in feldkulturen (Teil II). Z. angew. Ent. 47: 231255.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shands, W. A. et al. 1972. Importance of arthropod predators in controlling aphids on potatoes in northeastern Maine. Tech. Bull. Maine agric. Exp. Stn 54. 49 pp.Google Scholar
Thiele, H. U. 1977. Carabid beetles in their environments. Springer-Verlag. 352 pp.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tyler, B. M. J. and Ellis, C. R.. 1979. Ground beetles in three tillage plots in Ontario and observations on their importance as predators of the northern corn rootworm, Diabrotica longicornis (Coleoptera; Chrysomelidae). Proc. ent. Soc. Ont. 110: 6573.Google Scholar
Whitcomb, W. H. 1974. Natural populations of entomophagous arthropods and their effect on the agroecosystem. pp. 150–169 in Maxwell, F. C. and Harris, F. A. [Eds.] Proceedings of the Summer Institute on Biological Control of Plants, Insects and Diseases. Univ. Press of Mississippi, Jackson. 647 pp.Google Scholar