Winter and early spring assemblages of ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in two forest habitats in suburban area of Warsaw, central Poland

In March and April of 2014 and 2015, overwintering and post-overwintering assemblages of ladybird beetles were investigated in deciduous (Tilio-Carpinetum) and mixed forest (Querco roboris-Pinetum) patches in a forest complex on the north-western periphery of Warsaw. March samples were collected by sifting forest litter with an entomological sieve, while in April, ladybirds were collected from the vegetation using sweeping net and beating sheet. In both years, mean densities of ladybirds found in March in the two forest types were low, not exceeding 2 individuals/m2. Seven ladybird species were found overwintering in the litter of the deciduous forest and four in that of the mixed forest. Propylea quatuordecimpunctata was the most abundant in both habitats in 2014, while in 2015 in the litter of the deciduous forest Vibidia duodecimguttata predominated. In April, 15 species were recorded in the deciduous forest and 7 in the mixed forest. Scymnus ferrugatus predominated in the former plant community and P. quatuordecimpunctata and Coccinella septempunctata in the latter. Several of the recorded species, such as Clitostethus arcuatus, Scymnus femoralis and S. abietis, have rarely been reported from Poland

Population of the invasive harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) from Pelješac Peninsula, southern Croatia

Samples of the invasive alien ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, were collected between 27 July and 8 August 2013 at four localities on the Pelješac Peninsula in southern Croatia. Altogether, 209 individuals were collected, of which 114 (54.5%) were males and 95 (45.5%) females. Three color forms were present in the samples: the non-melanic form succinea and the melanic forms spectabilis and conspicua. The form succinea clearly predominated (90.5% of collected individuals) followed by spectabilis (8.1%) and conspicua (1.4%). The ectoparasitic fungus Hesperomyces virescens, not previously reported from Croatia, was found on the elytron of one H. axyridis individual. The localities in Pelješac Peninsula mentioned in this paper are the southernmost of all Croatian localities so far reported to be colonized by H. axyridis

Biedronki (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) odłowione przy użyciu samołówek świetlnych w trzech kompleksach leśnych we wschodniej i centralnej Polsce

Chrząszcze z rodziny biedronkowatych (Coccinellidae), jako ważny czynnik ograniczający liczebność stawonogów powodujących szkody w uprawach, są częstym obiektem badań entomologicznych. Do odłowów stosuje się różne metody, przy czym do rzadziej wykorzystywanych należy metoda przywabiania chrząszczy do światła. W niniejszych badaniach zastosowaliśmy tę metodę do odłowu biedronek w rezerwacie Jata k. Łukowa oraz w dwóch kompleksach leśnych położonych w granicach administracyjnych Warszawy: w rezerwacie Las Bielański i w Lesie Młocińskim. Nocne odłowy owadów do samołówek świetlnych prowadzono w latach 2018 i 2019 między marcem a listopadem, jednak biedronki wpadały do pułapek w okresie od kwietnia do września. Łącznie na trzech stanowiskach odłowiono 347 osobników Coccinellidae należących do 16 gatunków. Największe bogactwo gatunkowe (15 gatunków), a jednocześnie najmniejszą średnią liczebność biedronek (1,3 osobnika na próbę) odnotowano w Jacie. W Lesie Bielańskim stwierdzono 9 gatunków i średnio 4 osobniki na próbę, a w Lesie Młocińskim 4 gatunki i średnio 2,2 osobnika na próbę. Na wszystkich trzech stanowiskach gatunkiem dominującym była Calvia decemguttata (L.). Wysoki udział miały również Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) i Vibidia duodecimguttata (Poda). Większość odłowionych osobników biedronek (71%) należała do gatunków pozbawionych ubarwienia ostrzegawczego, co może pośrednio świadczyć o ich nocnym trybie życia

New data on the distribution and hosts of Dinocampus coccinellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Iran

Three ladybird (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) species, Coccinella septempunctata L., C. undecimpunctata L. and Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), were recorded as hosts of Dinocampus coccinellae (Schrank, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in the Iranian provinces of Khuzestan and Kurdistan. Coccinella undecimpunctata is a new host of this parasitoid in the country and both provinces are its new distribution records. The rates of emergence of D. coccinellae from field-collected C. septempunctata and H. variegata were very low (below 1%), while C. undecimpunctata was parasitized to a much higher degree (26.7%)

Agriculture intensification reduces plant taxonomic and functional diversity across European arable systems

Los autores de la UAM pertenecen al Terrestrial Ecology Group (TEG)Agricultural intensification is one of the main drivers of species loss worldwide, but there is still a lack of information about its effect on functional diversity of arable weed communities. Using a large-scale pan European study including 786 fields within 261 farms from eight countries, we analysed differences in the taxonomic and functional diversity of arable weeds assemblages across different levels of agricultural intensification. We estimated weed species frequency in each field, and collected species' traits (vegetative height, SLA and seed mass) from the TRY plant trait database. With this information, we estimated taxonomic (species richness), functional composition (community weighted means) and functional diversity (functional richness, evenness, divergence and redundancy). We used indicators of agricultural management intensity at the individual field scale (e.g. yield, inputs of nitrogen fertilizer and herbicides, frequency of mechanical weed control practices) and at the landscape scale surrounding the field (i.e. number of crop types, mean field size and proportion of arable land cover within a radius of 500 m from the sampling points). The effects of agricultural intensification on species and functional richness at the field scale were stronger than those of intensification at the landscape scale, and we did not observe evidence of interacting effects between the two scales. Overall, assemblages in more intensified areas had fewer species, a higher prevalence of species with ruderal strategies (low stature, high leaf area, light seeds), and lower functional redundancy. Maintaining the diversity of Europe's arable weed communities requires some simple management interventions, for example, reducing the high intensity of field-level agricultural management across Europe, which could be complemented by interventions that increase landscape complexity. A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this articl

Predators and parasitoids of the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, in its native range and invaded areas

The harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) has rapidly spread in several continents over the past 30 years and is considered an invasive alien species. The success of H. axyridis as an invader is often attributed to weak control by natural enemies. In this paper, we provide an overview of current knowledge on predators and parasitoids of H. axyridis. The common feature of predators and parasitoids is that they directly kill exploited organisms. Currently available data show that H. axyridis, displaying a variety of chemical, mechanical, and microbiological anti-predator defenses, is usually avoided by predators. However, some birds and invertebrates can eat this ladybird without harmful consequences. The primary defenses of H. axyridis against parasitoids include immune response and physiological and nutritional unsuitability for parasitoid development. These defenses are probably relatively efficient against most ladybird parasitoids, but not against flies of the genus Phalacrotophora. The latter are idiobiont parasitoids and hence can evade the host’s immune response. Indeed, rates of parasitism of H. axyridis by Phalacrotophora in the Palaearctic region (both in the native range in Asia and in Europe) are relatively high. While strong evidence for enemy release on the invasive populations of H. axyridis is lacking, several cases of parasitoid acquisition have been recorded in Europe, North America, and South America. We conclude that enemy release cannot be excluded as a possible mechanism contributing to the spread and increase of H. axyridis in the early stages of invasion, but adaptation of parasitoids may lead to novel associations which might offset previous effects of enemy release. However, further work is required to elucidate the population-level effects of such interactions

New Data on the Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) from Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Romanowski, Jerzy, Ceryngier, Piotr, Szawaryn, Karol (2020): New Data on the Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) from Lanzarote, Canary Islands. The Coleopterists Bulletin 74 (1): 188-194, DOI: 10.1649/0010-065X-74.1.188, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/0010-065x-74.1.18

Distribution, host range and host preferences of Dinocampus coccinellae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): A worldwide database

Dinocampus coccinellae (Schrank) is a braconid parasitoid of ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and has exceptionally wide geographical and host ranges. Based on published and unpublished sources Dinocampus coccinellae probably occurs throughout the temperate, subtropical and tropical climatic zones, but some regions, such as sub-Saharan Africa (except its southernmost part) and the Malay Archipelago, have not so far been surveyed for this wasp. In most of its extensive range D. coccinellae was present before the widespread use of classical biological control. It is likely, however, to have reached some oceanic islands and archipelagos at a later date, along with ladybirds used as biocontrol agents. At least 72 species of Coccinellidae are hosts of D. coccinellae. Three of them, Vibidia duodecimguttata (Poda), Calvia decemguttata (L.) and Coccinella miranda Wollaston, are reported here for the first time as hosts of this parasitoid. The most often reported host of D. coccinellae worldwide is Coccinella septempunctata L. followed by Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), Coleomegilla maculata (De Geer) and Hippodamia convergens Guerin