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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #230004
Title: Survey for Previously Common Native Coccinellidae (Coleoptera)in the Northern Great Plains

Author
item Hesler, Louis
item PETERSEN, JESSICA - IOWA STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Great Lakes Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/31/2008
Publication Date: 3/26/2009
Citation: Hesler, L.S., Petersen, J.D. 2008. Survey for Previously Common Native Coccinellidae (Coleoptera)in the Northern Great Plains. Great Lakes Entomologist. 41: 60-72.

Interpretive Summary: A survey for lady beetles was conducted among agricultural and non-agricultural habitats in 22 counties of South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa from 2005 through 2007. A total of 1226 lady beetles were sampled by sweepnetting, timed searches, and the use of Malaise traps. Four native species—Coleomegilla maculata, Hippodamia parenthesis, Hi. convergens, and Hi. tredecimpunctata tibialis—collectively comprised 55.8 percent of all coccinellids sampled, and two non-natives—Coccinella septempunctata and Harmonia axyridis—comprised 34.8 percent of coccinellids sampled. Hippodamia parenthesis, H. convergens, Coc. septempunctata, and Ha. axyridis were also seen commonly while sampling for bean leaf beetle and soybean aphid. Adalia bipunctata, Coccinella transversoguttata richardsoni, and Coc. novemnotata—three previously common native species—were not detected in the survey. The results provide further evidence that the three previously common native species have become extremely difficult to detect within a large region of the northern Great Plains, and suggest that conservation programs for them are urgently needed. Harmonia axyridis and Coc. septempunctata were often found in non-agricultural habitats, providing further evidence of their pervasiveness in the landscape. Adults of Coc. septempunctata were feeding upon native aphids on goldenrod plants at a prairie in Richland County, North Dakota. This result provides further documentation of non-target predation by non-native coccinellids, and suggests that further studies are needed to determine fully the impact of non-native coccinellids on the native aphid fauna.

Technical Abstract: A survey for coccinellids was conducted among agricultural and non-agricultural habitats in 22 counties of South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa from 2005 through 2007. A total of 1226 coccinellids were sampled by sweepnetting, timed searches, and the use of Malaise traps. Four native species—Coleomegilla maculata (De Geer), Hippodamia parenthesis (Say), Hi. convergens Guérin-Méneville, and Hi. tredecimpunctata tibialis (Say)—collectively comprised 55.8 percent of all coccinellids sampled, and two non-natives—Coccinella septempunctata L. and Harmonia axyridis (Pallas)—comprised 34.8 percent of coccinellids sampled. Hippodamia parenthesis, H. convergens, Coc. septempunctata, and Ha. axyridis were also seen commonly while sampling for bean leaf beetle and soybean aphid. Adalia bipunctata (L.), Coccinella transversoguttata richardsoni Brown, and Coc. novemnotata Herbst—three previously common native species—were not detected in the survey. The results provide further evidence that A. bipunctata, Coc. novemnotata, and Coc. transversoguttata richardsoni have become extremely difficult to detect within a large region of the northern Great Plains, and suggest that conservation programs for them are urgently needed. Harmonia axyridis and Coc. septempunctata were often found in non-agricultural habitats, providing further evidence of their pervasiveness in the landscape. Adult Coc. septempunctata were feeding upon a native aphid, Uroleucon atriceps (Gillette and Palmer), on goldenrod at a prairie in Richland County, North Dakota. This result provides further documentation of non-target predation by non-native coccinellids, and suggests that further studies are needed to fully determine the impact of non-native coccinellids on the native aphid fauna.