Environmental Entomology (1984) 13, 202-206

J.L. Capinera, D.C. Thompson and C.S. Hollingsworth (1984)
Taxonomic and ecological characteristics of crop pests in Colorado
Environmental Entomology 13 (1), 202-206
Abstract: Pest species assemblages associated with vegetable, field and forage, ornamental, fruit, and tree crops in Colorado were surveyed. Analysis of species richness on crop plants indicated that the insect orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, and Homoptera contained most crop pests. The insect family with the most pest species was Aphididae. Total pest species richness was correlated with major pest species richness. Frequently occurring species were determined for each crop type; there was little overlap among dominant pest species assemblages. Foliage- and stem-feeding pests were more common than trunk-, fruit-, and root-feeding species. Polyphagous species comprised ca. 70% of the species in crop pest species assemblages, but only about one-third of the total pest species list. Sequential evolution may be more common than coevolution in crop systems, due to artificial selection pressure imposed by plant breeders.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): John L. Capinera

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anarsia lineatella		U.S.A. (SW)
	Myzus persicae		U.S.A. (SW)
	Macrosiphum euphorbiae		U.S.A. (SW)
	Tetranychus urticae		U.S.A. (SW)
	Malacosoma disstria		U.S.A. (SW)
	Choristoneura rosaceana		U.S.A. (SW)
	Rhopalosiphum maidis		U.S.A. (SW)
	Helicoverpa zea		U.S.A. (SW)
	Trichoplusia ni		U.S.A. (SW)
	Frankliniella occidentalis		U.S.A. (SW)
	Schizaphis graminum		U.S.A. (SW)
	Pieris rapae		U.S.A. (SW)
	Diaspidiotus perniciosus		U.S.A. (SW)
	Thrips tabaci		U.S.A. (SW)
	Brevicoryne brassicae		U.S.A. (SW)
	Hyphantria cunea		U.S.A. (SW)
	Malacosoma californicum		U.S.A. (SW)
	Dendroctonus valens		U.S.A. (SW)
	Peridroma saucia		U.S.A. (SW)
	Epitrix cucumeris		U.S.A. (SW)
	Spilosoma virginica		U.S.A. (SW)
	Diaspidiotus ancylus		U.S.A. (SW)
	Nysius raphanus		U.S.A. (SW)