Arthropod-Plant Interactions (2019) 13, 127-137

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Séverin Hatt, Roel Uytenbroeck, Thomas Lopes, Pierre Mouchon, Naoya Osawa, Julien Piqueray, Arnaud Monty and Frédéric Francis (2019)
Identification of flower functional traits affecting abundance of generalist predators in perennial multiple species wildflower strips
Arthropod-Plant Interactions 13 (1), 127-137
Abstract: In agricultural fields, wildflower strips can be sown to enhance conservation biological control of insect pests. However, issues remain regarding the composition of flower mixtures to effectively attract and support large communities of natural enemies. Trait-based approaches are promising for this purpose. In the present study, conducted in an agricultural field of Belgium in 2014 and 2015, 15 flower mixtures were considered to explore the relation between the abundance of trapped generalist predators (i.e. lacewings [Neuroptera: Chrysopidae], ladybeetles [Coleoptera: Coccinellidae] and hoverflies [Diptera: Syrphidae]) and the community-weighted means of seven flower traits. Through a redundancy analysis, it was found that the presence/absence of flower ultra-violet pattern and the morphology of the corolla (that determines the accessibility of floral resources) were the traits that significantly affected the abundance of the generalist predators in the flower mixtures. The ladybeetles Harmonia axyridis and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata as well as the lacewings Chrysoperla carnea were more abundant in mixtures with a high cover of flowers showing an ultra-violet pattern, while the opposite was observed for the ladybeetle Coccinella septempunctata. As for hoverflies, Episyrphus balteatus and Eupeodes corollae were more abundant in mixtures with a high cover of flowers with open nectar. These results bring new knowledge regarding how a range of natural enemy species reacts to flower cues in diversified plant communities and should help in elaborating flower mixtures that enhance conservation biological control.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Frédéric Francis, Séverin Hatt

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation


Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial Pest/Disease/Weed Crop/Product Country Quarant.


Coccinella septempunctata (predator) Belgium
Chrysoperla carnea (predator) Belgium
Harmonia axyridis (predator) Belgium
Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (predator) Belgium
Episyrphus balteatus (predator) Belgium
Eupeodes corollae (predator) Belgium