Annales de la Société Entomologique de France (2009) 45, 245-259

Lounes Saharaoui and Jean-Louis Hemptinne (2009)
Dynamique des communautés des coccinelles (Coleoptera : Coccinellidae) sur agrumes et interactions avec leurs proies dans la région de Rouïba (Mitidja orientale) Algérie
[Dynamics of ladybird communities (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and interactions with their preys on Citrus in the region of Rouiba (oriental Mitidja) Algiers]
Annales de la Société Entomologique de France 45 (2), 245-259
Abstract: This paper aims to study the dynamics of communities of ladybirds on Citrus and their interactions with their preys and other predators. 21 species have been identified. A first trophic segregation shows the two main groups of species, some aphidophagous, other coccidiphages, totaling 17 species, representing 85.8 % of the population surveyed. Chilocorus bipunctatus, Pullus subvillosus, Nephus peyerimhoffi and, to a lesser degree, Clitostethus arcuatus and Pharoscymnus setulosus are ubiquitous on Citrus. However, Rodolia cardinalis, Mimopullus mediterraneus and Lindorus lophantae are regularly present but scarce. The years 2003 and 2004 were very favorable to beetles because of good weather and abundance of food: it was favored by fresh exuberant vegetation generated by the practice of intercropping and crop irrigation summer. The opposite has been observed since 2005, when the orchards were phased out. Most of the ladybirds breed aphid expense of the first outbreak of sap from late April to early June. However, P. subvillosus and C. bipunctatus begin to spawn a little earlier, usually around the beginning of April. The density of beetles increases with that of their prey. A variety of natural ennemies share the same food with ladybirds. They are primarily aphidophagous with 12 species belonging to six families: Coccinellidae, Syrphidae, Chrysopidae, Cecidomyiidae, Anthocoridae and Aphelinidae. The Coccinellidae and Anthocoridae are dominant with, respectively, 48.1% and 31.3% of the population of natural enemies of aphids. The group of coccidiphagous has 10 species in three families: The Coccinellidae, the Nutilidae and Aphelinidae. Ladybirds, mainly C. bipunctatus, are the most abundant, representing 59.2 % of natural enemies of cochineal.
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(original language: French)
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Database assignments for author(s): Jean-Louis Hemptinne

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation
population dynamics/epizootiology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Rhyzobius lophanthae (predator)			Algeria
Rodolia cardinalis (predator)			Algeria
Clitostethus arcuatus (predator)			Algeria
Scymnus mediterraneus (predator)			Algeria
Scymnus subvillosus (predator)			Algeria
Nephus peyerimhoffi (predator)			Algeria
Pharoscymnus setulosus (predator)			Algeria