Journal of Pest Science (2013) 86, 33-39

Karin Staudacher, Nikolaus Schallhart, Peter Pitterl, Corinna Wallinger, Nina Brunner, Marion Landl, Bernhard Kromp, Johann Glauninger and Michael Traugott (2013)
Occurrence of Agriotes wireworms in Austrian agricultural land
Journal of Pest Science 86 (1), 33-39
Abstract: Agriotes wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are abundant soil-dwelling herbivores which can inflict considerable damage to field crops. In Europe up to 40 species occur, differing in their ecology and pest status. Their distribution in the larval stage, however, has rarely been assessed because of the considerable effort in collecting wireworms and the difficulties in identifying them to species-level. Here, we examined the occurrence of Agriotes wireworms in Austrian agricultural land with regard to their association with climatic and soil parameters. Using a molecular identification system, 1348 field-collected larvae from 85 sites were identified to species-level. Three species, Agriotes obscurus, Agriotes brevis, Agriotes ustulatus, and two that could not be discerned molecularly (Agriotes lineatus and Agriotes proximus), were assigned to two ecological groups: (i) A. brevis/A. ustulatus, found in areas with a warmer, drier climate and alkaline soils, and (ii) A. obscurus/A. lineatus/proximus which occur mainly at higher altitude characterised by lower temperatures, higher precipitation and acidic, humus-rich soils. Agriotes sputator was abundant throughout Austria, confirming its euryoecious nature. Only one larva of Agriotes litigiosus was found, prohibiting further analysis. These data contribute to a characterisation of species-specific traits in Agriotes larvae in agricultural land, an important prerequisite to develop efficient control strategies for these wireworms.
(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): Karin Staudacher, Michael Traugott

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Agriotes lineatus		Austria
	Agriotes obscurus		Austria
	Agriotes sputator		Austria
	Agriotes ustulatus		Austria
	Agriotes brevis		Austria
	Agriotes litigiosus		Austria
	Agriotes proximus		Austria