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Flower strips are a prominent agri‐environmental scheme with the central objective to promote biodiversity and maintain associated ecosystem services. The promotion of natural enemies by increasing resource availability through flower strips is a promising approach for integrated pest management.In a 3‐year field study, two annual and two perennial flower strip mixtures, as well as a grass mixture, were tested regarding their attractiveness for natural enemies at three different study sites in Germany. Natural enemies were sampled annually in nine sampling rounds at a 10‐day rhythm using sweep netting and pitfall traps. To assess available floral resources, we estimated the species‐specific flower cover and classified species into flower types.Flower strip mixtures differed in their attractiveness to natural enemies. Treatment effects on arthropod activity density were most pronounced in the second and third year. Overall, perennial were more attractive than annual flower strip mixtures for most natural enemies, however, the response to flower strip mixtures varied significantly among taxa. For example, perennial flower strips showed a two‐ to fourfold increase of plant‐dwelling spider and parasitoid wasp activity density as well as higher numbers of juvenile stages of predatory bugs and rove beetles compared to annual flower strips. In contrast, annual flower strip mixtures showed the highest attractiveness for ground beetles. Moreover, different natural enemy taxa were associated with varying flower strip characteristics such as flower type proportion, herbivore availability and plant species richness.Synthesis and applications. We found taxon‐specific responses of natural enemies to different flower strips, which provide guidance for the floral composition of flower strips in order to maximize their effectiveness for natural pest control. We suggest the use of perennial mixtures with high proportion of flower heads (Asteraceae) and disk flowers (esp. Apiaceae, Rubiaceae, Brassicaceae) in particular, but also flag blossoms (Fabaceae) as these flower types were positively associated with several natural enemy groups. However, since we found mixed responses to flower types, specific flower strip composition will ultimately depends on its objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of supplementary food spray on the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and beneficial insects (predominantly predatory insects) was studied in commercial maize field experiments from 2020 to 2022. The food spray formulation was developed from local ingredients in Vietnam, both with and without neem extract. The sugar-based rice dough product attracted and sustained beneficial insects, significantly reducing fall armyworm populations. Compared to conventional insecticide treatments, the net margin achieved in plots treated with food spray was higher ($3,467) to $3,394 in the conventional insecticide-treated plots demonstrating its economic viability (1 AUD=17.28 VND). Our study observed an average predator-to-prey ratio of 9.2:1 per plant in the food-spray-treated plots, and that was effective in managing the fall armyworm throughout the season. We propose that this ratio can serve as a valuable parameter and decisionmaking tool in food spray-based Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs against fall armyworm in maize fields. Therefore, we suggest that food sprays can be incorporated into IPM strategies to successfully manage fall armyworm infestation in maize crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fall armyworm has emerged as a major invasive pest of maize in multiple regions of Africa and Asia, affecting the crop at different stages. Pesticides have been widely used to manage fall armyworm in maize, however, there is always a need to explore other management options, including biological control. The current study aimed to explore the occurrence of the biological control agents in maize field, along with the predatory activity of selected groups under lab conditions. For live observations of the predatory arthropods in the field, weekly observations were made from five different maize fields located in Multan. For estimating predatory potential, selected groups of predators were collected using hand picking method and released in the Petri dishes under laboratory conditions. Diversity indices including the Shannon's and Simpson's diversity indices, showed significant differences in diversity of predators across various months and sites. The abundance of arthropod predators was significantly higher during September, October, March, and April. During fall 2022, spiders, red ants and lady bird beetles showed higher abundance followed by rove beetles and black ants. During spring 2023, spiders showed the highest mean abundance followed by red ants, rove beetles and lady bird beetles. The laboratory predation experiments showed lady bird beetles as an effective predator against the 1st larval instar of fall armyworm, followed by spiders and black ants, respectively. Results of the current study will help to identify the beneficial insects providing natural control of fall armyworm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of pesticides on insects is often discussed in terms of acute and chronic toxicity, but an important and often overlooked aspect is the impact of sublethal doses on insect physiology and behavior. Pesticides can influence various physiological parameters of insects, including the innate immune system, development, and reproduction, through a combination of direct effects on specific exposed tissues and the modification of behaviors that contribute to health and reproductive success. Such behaviors include mobility, feeding, oviposition, navigation, and the ability to detect pheromones. Pesticides also have a profound effect on insect learning and memory. The precise effects depend on many different factors, including the insect species, age, sex, caste, physiological condition, as well as the type and concentration of the active ingredients and the exposure route. More studies are needed to assess the effects of different active ingredients (and combinations thereof) on a wider range of species to understand how sublethal doses of pesticides can contribute to insect decline. This review reflects our current knowledge about sublethal effects of pesticides on insects and advancements in the development of innovative methods to detect them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palangka Raya's city has marginal sandy soil for agricultural development. Chili are commonly grown in this area, but they face challenges due to pest attacks. The use of pesticides to control pests has a detrimental effect on the beneficial arthropod population. To address this issue, it is necessary to adopt semi-organic farming systems. The research aims to determine the population, diversity, and dominance. The research was conducted from October 2020 to January 2021 at the Laboratory of the Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Palangka Raya. We employed 3 trapping techniques, namely Sweep net, Pitfall trap, and Light trap on sandy areas covering approximately 600 m2. Chili plants were treated using organic and inorganic fertilizers, trichocompost, and bioinsecticide. The results of the study showed that beneficial arthropods caught were 453 individuals during six periods of observation, with Predators (67.82%), Parasitoids (10.60%), Pollinators (1.46%), and Detritivores (2.93%), respectively. The harmful arthropods caught were 94 individuals (17.18%). Chili plant diversity index (H') ranged from low to high category (H' = 0.6-2.48), while the dominance index (D) was classified as low to high (D = 0.1-1.73). The evenness index (E) of the community fluctuated before stabilizing (E = 0.52-1.65). Arthropods family abundance (N1) was classified as less to sufficient (N1 = 1-1.67).

Intensification of conventional agriculture is a leading cause of negative environmental impact, loss of biodiversity, and reduced delivery of ecosystem services in agroecosystems. Maize, due to its growth habits and cultivation management, provides a poor habitat for beneficial arthropods. Several strategies are available to make maize cropping systems more sustainable and to promote biodiversity at field level. The present study evaluates the effects of various maize cropping systems – precisely, maize continuous monoculture, maize multiple cropping, and three mixed cropping systems (maize‐runner bean, maize‐sorghum, and maize‐flower strips) – on generalist predators and their biological control potential. Overall, we found that the reference system with maize continuous monoculture and conventional crop management had the lowest activity of generalist predators compared in particular to the low‐input mixed cropping systems. Higher activity density and biocontrol potential were found in the systems that provided a dense and permanent vegetation cover of the ground (i.e., maize/sorghum, maize/flower strip). Although these effects were not consistent for all the parameters investigated and for every sampling date, we conclude that generalist predators can benefit from more conservative management practices in maize systems, thereby enhancing their biological pest control potential. Furthermore, spatial intercropping may represent a valid alternative to the conventional monocultural crop system to support the delivery of biodiversity‐mediated ecosystem services towards a more sustainable system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining biodiversity in agrocenoses is becoming an important element of sustainable development strategies. Flower strips can perform various functions, and their use in the agricultural landscape is a form of a natural mechanism for regulating the agricultural habitat and improving the effectiveness of biological methods of combating crop pests. This manuscript is a case study in Wielkopolska National Park, a valuable wildlife area situated in a temperate zone characteristic of the climate conditions of western Poland. The purpose of this study was to analyze the species composition of plants in a flower strip two years after sowing a mixture of seeds of perennial plants, and to determine the diversity of the collected arthropods depending on the flowering intensity of plants in the strip. The most intense flowering period in the flower strip occurred in June, when the number of flowering plants was the highest and belonged to one species, Trifolium repens (81.52% of all flowering plants). In the same month, the largest share of beneficial arthropods were specimens from Hymenoptera/Parasitica (29.15%), which may indicate their preference for T. repens. The share of beneficial arthropods in relation to all caught arthropods was higher in June (58.74%) than in July (35.16%), with Hymenoptera predominating, represented mainly by Parasitica, which may indicate their preference for species from the genus Trifolium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overwintering of invertebrates in Central Europe drives the population dynamics in the subsequent seasons and have the direct impact on ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. The objective of this study was to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of overwintering arthropods in the fallen leaves in three fruit orchards. The autumn and early spring distributions of several arthropod taxa were studied in fallen leaves in apple, pear, and cherry orchards in relation to several environmental variables. In the predefined areas (1 x 1 m) samples of fallen leaves were collected in autumn and spring 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. Data from an area of 168 m2 was used for evaluation. A total of 1281 arthropod individuals were collected. The most abundant were spiders with 787 specimens. Samples also comprised 17 other arthropod species or higher taxonomic categories, 10 of which were considered as beneficial, four as pests, and three were unclassified. Spiders were analysed more precisely due to their dominance and their importance in plant protection as biocontrol agents. We demonstrate for the first time that fallen leaves in fruit orchards offer a suitable overwintering microhabitat for predatory arthropods, which contribute to the biological control of pests, and comprehensively evaluate the overwintering arthropod assemblage in relation to several ecological and environmental variables.

Insects of the order Coleoptera play an essential role in agricultural sustainability by supporting many ecosystem services (such as biological control, nutrient cycling or pollination). In agroecosystems, the Coleoptera community may be influenced by the surrounding landscape, which can provide living resources, like food or shelter, during different seasons, originating spillover movements between different environments.The present study aimed to evaluate the response of the Coleoptera community to the landscape surrounding vineyards at different buffers. For that, Coleoptera were sampled in six wine protected designation of origin (PDO) regions of Portugal (35 vineyards), and landscape configuration and composition metrics were calculated at buffers of 500, 750, 1000, 1500 and 2000 m radii around the vineyards.In total, 2954 Coleoptera individuals belonging to 36 families were collected. The most abundant families were Chrysomelidae, Coccinellidae and Latridiidae. Results indicated that intermediate habitat fragmentation levels, particularly in semi‐natural areas and vineyards, favoured Coleoptera biodiversity in vine‐producing regions. Moreover, the range of activity of Coleoptera seems to be larger than 1000 m.This work constitutes an important contribution to understanding the response of the Coleoptera community to the landscape context in vineyards in Portugal and contributes to the theoretical framework about the influence of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The successful overwintering of invertebrates in the landscape of the temperate zone is crucial for their survival. This study is focused on overwintering invertebrates in leaf litter of orchards. We always sampled leaf litter from an area of 1 m2, seven times at the edges and seven times at the inner part of the three types of orchards together in four terms. Leaf litter samples were transferred to the laboratory where the invertebrates were captured and each taxon was assigned a beneficial arthropod, pest, or unclassifiable. We found that leaf litter is a very important reservoir, especially for beneficial invertebrates. Out of the total number of 1280 individuals taken from the complete area of 168 m2, 1017 invertebrates were in the category of beneficial organisms with the potential to control pests (79%), only 10 were pests (0.8%), and phytosanitary unclassified represented 253 individuals (about 20%). The most frequent invertebrates were spiders of which 787 individuals were captured. Spiders represents 59% of the entire number. The second largest group were beetles counting 215 individuals with 91 % belonging to the family Coccinelidae. One year leaf litter left in orchards during the winter has proven to be a very important overwintering habitat for beneficial invertebrates that have a large potential to pest control. Therefore, it is necessary to seek ways to managing leaf litter in a way that does not to suppress overwintering communities. Yet, this must be handled under consideration that leaf litter is also a significant source of fungal diseases.

Vegetation along field margins is an important component of agroecosystem biodiversity but also harbors problematic weeds. Establishing flower strips along these margins is a well-established method of increasing biodiversity and promoting ecosystem services. Key knowledge gaps are related to interactions between seeded plants and existing weeds. We conducted a two-site field experiment in 2022 and 2023 in NY State, USA to test how seed mix composition (monocots plus dicots vs. dicots only) and seeding density (four rates) modify flower strip establishment under weedy conditions. Measurements included seedbank density and diversity, aboveground density and diversity, biomass, cover, canopy height, density of plants in the flowering stage, and abundance of bees, ladybeetles, and spiders. We found that weeds emerging from the soil seedbank hampered flower strip establishment at both sites. The aboveground density of seeded species was highest when monocots plus dicots were seeded at the highest tested rates. Although seeded plants occurred at lower densities than non-seeded plants, they were larger than non-seeded plants in 2023. Mean seeded plant size (g per individual) in September 2023 was 6–54 g and mean non-seeded plant size was below 1 g in all treatments. The number of seeded dicots in the flowering stage tended to increase with seeding rate in 2023. Flower strips affected bee abundance, especially in sweep-net samples from August 2023 (P = 0.01). At the Ithaca site, control treatments averaged 0.0–0.3 bees while flower strip treatments averaged 1.3–4.7 bees. Overall, these results highlight the potential for flower strips to enhance biodiversity even under weedy conditions. They also suggest that farmers seeking to establish flower strips in weedy fields should use high densities of competitive species. • Weeds hamper establishment of flower strips in agroecosystems. • Our study demonstrated strong competitive interactions between weeds and flowers. • An increased seeding density was more useful than adding monocot seeds to the mix. • Flower strips were ecologically beneficial even in weedy areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive vegetable crop rotations can have detrimental effects on soil health, draining soil of organic matter reserves and necessitating nitrogen (N) inputs. In addition, many vegetable crop rotations leave little time or space to integrate beneficial arthropod and pollinator habitat into crop rotations; the lack of habitat may cause declines in beneficial arthropods, which can lead to insufficient pollination services and increased pest pressure. Nine treatments, each containing one to seven species of cover crops, were evaluated for flowering, aboveground biomass production and N content, soil ${\rm NO}_3^-$ -N contribution after biomass incorporation, and beneficial arthropod visitation. A seven-species mix composed of oat (Avena sativa L.), field pea (Pisum sativum subsp. Arvense L.) and five clover species (Trifolium spp.) added the largest amount of biomass (8747 kg ha−1). Likewise, this mix contributed the most organic N (265.6 kg N ha−1), and increased soil ${\rm NO}_3^-$ -N after biomass incorporation (10.9 mg ${\rm NO}_3^-$ -N kg−1 of soil). Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia Bendth.) monoculture produced most abundant floral resources. Beneficial arthropods observed included pollinators (native, honey and bumblebees), predators (syrphid flies and green lacewings) and parasitoids. Increased floral diversity was associated with abundance of flies in the Syrphidae family. Phacelia monoculture was most attractive for bees in the Apidae and Halictidae family, both of which may provide pollination services. These results highlight floral visitation patterns as an indicator for beneficial insect community support and conservation, especially in summer months, when greater insect reproduction occurs. Summer-planted cover crops are an underexplored rotation option for organic farming systems in the Upper Midwest, and may provide a wide range of ecosystem services including increases in available soil N and beneficial arthropod populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While many cities have embraced urban agriculture, research examining crop productivity in urban environments is limited. Little is known about how abiotic and biotic factors affecting productivity on urban farms compare with those in rural environments. In this study, we investigated environmental factors influencing strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) productivity for two cultivars at ten farms across a rural-urban gradient in Michigan, USA over a three-year period. We evaluated key drivers of production, namely temperature, pathogens, pests, and pollinators, which we hypothesized would be altered by urbanization. We found no direct effect of urbanization on strawberry production or fruit pathogen and pest damage. However, temperature, an environmental correlate of urbanization, significantly influenced crop productivity. In particular, cooler temperatures at rural farms and warmer temperatures at urban farms limited fruit number in the peak production year. We found no relationship between urbanization and overall abundances of arthropod pests, their predators, or pollinators. However, we found opposite effects of urbanization for two arthropod groups – Vespidae (paper wasps) and Araneae (spiders). Vespidae abundance was positively associated with increased urbanization. These omnivorous wasps are both predators of strawberry pests and pests of fruits themselves. Conversely, spiders, which are predators of strawberry pests, were negatively associated with urbanization. Greater pollinator visitation incrementally improved fruit weight, but only at low to moderate levels of pathogen and pest damage. At high levels of damage, the benefits of pollination were not apparent. Our study reveals that environmental drivers of variation in crop yield, such as pathogen and herbivore damage and pollinator visitation, can be comparable across rural-urban gradients. Some factors, however, such as temperature stress and the abundances of certain pest and beneficial organisms may be affected by urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study evaluated effects of the fungus Lecanicillium muscarium (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) and an organic extract from its mycelium on the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) and its predator, mite Amblyseius swirskii (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Mites were exposed to fungal spores or organic extract prepared from L. muscarium mycelium. No negative effect was shown on the predator feeding on T. vaporariorum nymphs treated with fungal conidia at a concentration of 5 × 107 spores/ml; by day six the number of mite eggs and nymphs was 18.7 % higher than on leaves treated with Tween 80. In contrast, treatment of leaves with a 0.5 % alcohol extract derived from L. muscarium mycelium caused 35 % mortality of A. swirskii adults by day two. In a trial conducted in a commercial greenhouse on rose plants, the application of L. muscarium conidia followed by the release of A. swirskii suppressed T. vaporariorum more effectively than each of the control agents applied separately.

Agricultural intensification and landscape simplification are among the major drivers of biodiversity loss in agricultural landscapes. Increasing field edges might be a key solution for enhancing biodiversity and related ecosystem services within arable fields. In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of nine arthropod groups and weed seed and pest predation rates across different distances from field edges and crop types. Furthermore, we tested the relationship between local carabid abundance and species richness and directly measured weed seed and pest predation rates. Most of the investigated taxa were not affected by field margin proximity, except for carabid species richness and the abundance of bees and wasps, hoverflies, and myriapods, which were high near the edge. We found a higher abundance of carabids and herbivores in oilseed rape compared to other crops, while hoverflies, bees and wasps were more abundant in cereal. True bug abundance was significantly higher in oilseed rape interiors compared to edges. Weed seed predation and pest predation by small mammals were the highest at 36 m from the field margin, probably due to small mammal distribution, while pest predation by arthropods did not show any significant pattern. Both weed seed predation rate and arthropod pest predation were positively related to carabid abundance and negatively to species richness. Contrasting responses across nine investigated arthropod taxa indicate that re-designing agricultural landscapes to support biodiversity across taxa will be challenging, and further studies are needed to fully understand the spatial distribution of arthropods and related ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. • The spatial distribution of nine arthropod groups and two ecosystem services was investigated. • The abundance of bees and wasps, hoverflies, and myriapods was higher near field edges than in field interiors. • Weed seed predation and pest predation were the highest at 36 m from field edges. • The crop type had stronger effects on arthropod communities than proximity to the field edges. • Ecosystem services were positively related to carabid abundance and negatively to species richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circadian rhythms play an essential role in the adaptation of organisms to the environment and may show species-specific or sex-specific differences even within a closely related taxonomic group. Although spiders (Araneae) are sexually dimorphic in several morphological and behavioural features, there are very few studies on the sex-specific differences in their biological rhythms. This study evaluated the circadian rhythm in the locomotor activity of two agrobiont hunting species of spider, Carrhotus xanthogramma (Latreille, 1819) (Salticidae) and Philodromus cespitum (Walckenaer, 1802) (Philodromidae), under natural photoperiod conditions. Particular attention was paid to possible differences between the sexes in both species. We found that C. xanthogramma is a strictly diurnal species with a mean activity peak in the morning in both sexes and the females are more active than males. The locomotor activity rhythm of males was richer in ultradian (shorter than a day but longer than an hour) components, although the relative power of these components was negligible compared to the main, 24-h period component. In accordance with these results, the diel pattern of locomotor activity of C. xanthogramma can be described by a unimodal cosine curve. In contrast to C. xanthogramma, both sexes of Ph. cespitum showed cathemeral activity (i.e., activity occur within both the light and dark portions of the daily cycle) and females and males follow quite different activity schedules: females were most active at night, shortly before nautical dawn, whereas males were most active early in the morning. Unlike C. xanthogramma, Ph. cespitum has more ultradian components, with higher relative power especially in females, where besides the 24-h circadian component there is a particularly strong 12-h ultradian period. Based on these factors, females of Ph. cespitum show a bimodal and males a unimodal pattern.

Spiders (Araneae) form abundant and diverse assemblages in agroecosystems such as fruit orchards, and thus might have an important role as natural enemies of orchard pests. Although spiders are polyphagous and opportunistic predators in general, limited information exists on their natural prey at both species and community levels. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the natural prey (realized trophic niche) of arboreal hunting spiders, their role in trophic webs and their biological control potential with direct observation of predation events in apple orchards. Hunting spiders with prey in their chelicerae were collected in the canopy of apple trees in organic apple orchards in Hungary during the growing seasons between 2013 and 2019 and both spiders and their prey were identified and measured. Among others, the composition of the actual (captured by spiders) and the potential (available in the canopy) prey was compared, trophic niche and food web metrics were calculated, and some morphological, dimensional data of the spider-prey pairs were analyzed. Species-specific differences in prey composition or pest control ability were also discussed. By analyzing a total of 878 prey items captured by spiders, we concluded that arboreal hunting spiders forage selectively and consume a large number of apple pests; however, spiders’ beneficial effects are greatly reduced by their high levels of intraguild predation and by a propensity to switch from pests to alternative prey. In this study, arboreal hunting spiders showed negative selectivity for pests, no selectivity for natural enemies and positive selectivity for neutral species. In the trophic web, the dominant hunting spider taxa/groups (Carrhotus xanthogramma, Philodromus cespitum, Clubiona spp., Ebrechtella tricuspidata, Xysticus spp. and ‘Other salticids’) exhibit different levels of predation on different prey groups and the trophic web’s structure changes depending on the time of year. Hunting spiders show a high functional redundancy in their predation, but contrary to their polyphagous nature, the examined spider taxa showed differences in their natural diet, exhibited a certain degree of prey specialization and selected prey by size and taxonomic identity. Guilds (such as stalkers, ambushers and foliage runners) did not consistently predict either prey composition or predation selectivity of arboreal hunting spider species. From the economic standpoint, Ph. cespitum and Clubiona spp. were found to be the most effective natural enemies of apple pests, especially of aphids. Finally, the trophic niche width of C. xanthogramma and Ph. cespitum increased during ontogeny, resulting in a shift in their predation. These results demonstrate how specific generalist predators can differ from each other in aspects of their predation ecology even within a relatively narrow taxonomic group.

Organic or natural farming practices are known to promote soil fertility as well as biological diversity. Organic matter recycling, multiple cropping and ecological corridors are available as reservoirs for biological control agents such as predators or parasitic insects. These practices allow ecosystem services to reduce the presence of phytophagous insects and microorganisms. The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of the different farming systems on the diversity of arthropods. The sampling of arthropods was performed by pitfall trap method. The traps buried at surface level of the ground were set at 3.5 m intervals for 24 hours in the line of the cultivated crops. In addition to this method, Tullgren funnel method is applied in this study. In the experimental results, there were no significant differences in richness and abundance of observed arthropods. In the natural farming system, taxonomic group of Araneae, Acari and Coleoptera was observed. In the conventional farming system, the group of Formicidae was dominant. Using the Simpson's (inverse) index and Shannon- Weaver's index, the diversity was calculated. The results indicated there was more diversity of arthropods in the natural farming compared to conventional farming system. It is evident that agricultural practices (natural or conventional) may affect the diversity of arthropods within an agroecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spiders (Araneae) form abundant and diverse assemblages in agroecosystems such as fruit orchards, and thus might have an important role as natural enemies of orchard pests. Although spiders are polyphagous and opportunistic predators in general, limited information exists on their natural prey at both species and community levels. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the natural prey (realized trophic niche) of arboreal hunting spiders, their role in trophic webs and their biological control potential with direct observation of predation events in apple orchards. Hunting spiders with prey in their chelicerae were collected in the canopy of apple trees in organic apple orchards in Hungary during the growing seasons between 2013 and 2019 and both spiders and their prey were identified and measured. Among others, the composition of the actual (captured by spiders) and the potential (available in the canopy) prey was compared, trophic niche and food web metrics were calculated, and some morphological, dimensional data of the spider-prey pairs were analyzed. Species-specific differences in prey composition or pest control ability were also discussed. By analyzing a total of 878 prey items captured by spiders, we concluded that arboreal hunting spiders forage selectively and consume a large number of apple pests; however, spiders' beneficial effects are greatly reduced by their high levels of intraguild predation and by a propensity to switch from pests to alternative prey. In this study, arboreal hunting spiders showed negative selectivity for pests, no selectivity for natural enemies and positive selectivity for neutral species. In the trophic web, the dominant hunting spider taxa/groups (Carrhotus xanthogramma, Philodromus cespitum, Clubiona spp., Ebrechtella tricuspidata, Xysticus spp. and 'Other salticids') exhibit different levels of predation on different prey groups and the trophic web's structure changes depending on the time of year. Hunting spiders show a high functional redundancy in their predation, but contrary to their polyphagous nature, the examined spider taxa showed differences in their natural diet, exhibited a certain degree of prey specialization and selected prey by size and taxonomic identity. Guilds (such as stalkers, ambushers and foliage runners) did not consistently predict either prey composition or predation selectivity of arboreal hunting spider species. From the economic standpoint, Ph. cespitum and Clubiona spp. were found to be the most effective natural enemies of apple pests, especially of aphids. Finally, the trophic niche width of C. xanthogramma and Ph. cespitum increased during ontogeny, resulting in a shift in their predation. These results demonstrate how specific generalist predators can differ from each other in aspects of their predation ecology even within a relatively narrow taxonomic group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium solani, a soil-borne pathogen of stored potato may be disseminated, and thus, the damage caused by the pathogen may be aggravated by the grazing activities of arthropods. To investigate whether terrestrial woodlice contribute to the spread or, instead, to the control of F. solani, we launched a series of pilot experiments. First, a laboratory feeding trial was set up to find whether and to what extent woodlice consume the mycelia of fungal pathogens, namely, Aspergillus niger, F. solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. This was followed by a second set of experiments to simulate storage conditions where potato tubers, either healthy or infected with F. solani, were offered to woodlice. We found that: (1) F. solani was accepted by woodlice but was not their most preferred food source; (2) the presence of woodlice reduced the spread of F. solani among potato tubers. Our results suggest that the classification of terrestrial woodlice as “storage pests” needs re-evaluation, as isopods have the potential to disinoculate infective plant remnants and, thus, reduce the spread of storage pathogens.

Natural biological control is an important alternative for the control of insect pests using natural enemies that occur naturally in agroecosystems. The potential of these insects can increase when they are adequately managed. Thus, the objective of this study was to quantify the populations of natural enemies in soybean cultivars with different growth habits planted in different arrangements. The experiment consisted of eight treatments: four planting arrangements and two soybean cultivars, with four replicates. The populations of natural enemies were evaluated from the vegetative stage V3 to crop harvest using a shaking-cloth. A population survey of the beneficial arthropods present on the soil surface was performed in the reproductive stages R2 and R3 with the installation of modified pitfall traps. The main natural enemies that occurred in the culture were Class Arachnida, Order Heteroptera, Order Hymenoptera, Order Coleoptera and Order Dermaptera. The populations of the natural enemies assessed using the shaking-cloth did not show significant differences. However, in the evaluations with the modified pitfall traps in the reproductive stage R3 in the crossed arrangement, the populations of the Coleoptera and Dermaptera orders were higher in the determinate cultivar than in the indeterminate cultivar.

We evaluated the capacity of selected plants, sown along a processing tomato field margin in central Greece and natural vegetation, to attract beneficial and Hymenoptera pollinating insects and questioned whether they can distract pollinators from crop flowers. Measurements of flower cover and attracted pollinators and beneficial arthropods were recorded from early-May to mid-July, during the cultivation period of the crop. Flower cover was higher in the sown mixtures compared to natural vegetation and was positively correlated with the number of attracted pollinators. The sown Glebionis coronaria, Coriandrum sativum, Anethum graveolens, and Fagopyrum esculentum attracted mainly wild bees, which were the most abundant pollinating insects. In the natural vegetation, Rapistrum rugosum attracted mainly honeybees, while Asteraceae, Convolvulaceae, and Apiaceae species attracted wild bees. Beneficial arthropod abundance and diversity were higher in the sown mixture. Tomato flowers were visited by a small number of wild bees. Their number was not affected by the distance from the field margin, indicating no distraction effect from the sown or natural vegetation flowering plants. Our results suggest that selected flowering plants can improve the field margin habitats for pollinating insects and beneficial arthropods, but more work is needed to elucidate the effect on crop pollination.

Macrolophus basicornis (Stal) (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a promising biological control agent against tomato pests, mainly the South American tomato pinworm Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Nevertheless, the amount of pesticides used in tomato crops could compromise the effectiveness of M. basicornis in pest control. Thus, the present research aims to evaluate the lethal and sublethal effects of five insecticides (spinetoram, chlorantraniliprole + abamectin, triflumuron, tebufenozide, and abamectin) commonly used in tomato crops on M. basicornis. Third instar nymphs were exposed to dry residues of insecticides on tomato seedlings, and adults were directly sprayed using a Potter precision tower. Abamectin caused the highest mortality rate (79.98%) of M. basicornis nymphs. Females exposed to spinetoram during the nymphal stage showed a reduction in tibia length. Except for spinetoram, all other insecticides significantly influenced adult longevity. All insecticide treatments caused a reduction in female offspring. However, the growth of males and females (F1 generation) issued from adults treated did not differ significantly from the control. In the predator flight bioassay, males in the first evaluation showed a reduction in flight activity following exposure to chlorantraniliprole + abamectin and to tebufenozide. Overall, all insecticides tested caused negative effects on M. basicornis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behavior of many animals relies upon the input of chemical signals throughout the environment. Those animals that live in close proximity to humans may then be at risk, as the input of anthropogenic chemicals can have significant sublethal effects by masking or altering these naturally occurring signals. While the herbicide atrazine has been found to have the potential to alter such chemical information, research is lacking on how it may impact agrobiont arthropods which are the first and most direct line of exposure. Here we investigated the sublethal effects atrazine may be playing on an agrobiont wolf spider that makes up a major component of agricultural spider communities in the Eastern United States. We exposed spiders to ecologically relevant doses of atrazine and monitored general activity patterns as well as mating behaviors. We found that while sex determined a large portion of activity variation in these predators, both males and females spent more time mobile but at lower speeds in the presence of atrazine. We did not find any evidence for info-disruption based on male courtship rate and mating success, but with increasing dosage of atrazine came shortened bouts of courtship leading to copulation. These results suggest that atrazine changed activity patterns of a wolf spider, which may result in altered foraging, survival, and reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis of two leading journals for economic entomologists employing beneficial arthropods against agricultural insect pests --- the Journal of Economic Entomology, and Biological Control--- uncovered a highly concordant distribution of species used and species attacked. Parasitizing wasps were by far the most common beneficials. These were followed in frequency by predatory versions of the following: true bugs, mites, lady beetles, and lacewings. Assemblages of larger ground beetles and spiders provided good crop protection in fewer but still consequential dilemmas. Familiarity with prominent species will help science librarians who are not entomologists by training, but who may serve students and faculty in agriculture, ecology, or environmental studies, by raising their own awareness of this important means of pest control with less reliance on potentially toxic insecticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Selected flower plants at groundcover patches in olive grove enhance pollinators. • More honey bees, bumble bees and megachilids on coriander-borage mix vs crown daisy. • Mining bees equally attracted to coriander-borage mix vs crown daisy. • Groundcover in olive groves provides habitats for natural enemies of olive pests. Abstract The potential of ground cover management with mixtures of selected plants to provide habitats for pollinating insects and natural enemies of pests in an olive grove in southern Greece, was studied over a period of 3 years (2011–2013). The management consisted of the establishment of 3 m2 patches of sown plant species or spontaneous natural vegetation between trees along tree lines. The sown plant species in the mixtures were Sinapis alba L. (Brassicaceae), Glebionis segetum (L.) Fourr. and Glebionis coronaria (L.) Cass. ex Spach (Asteraceae), Vicia sativa L. and Pisum sativum L. (Fabaceae), Borago officinalis L. (Boraginaceae), Coriandrum sativum L. and Pimpinella anisum L. (Apiaceae). Sowing was performed in autumn or spring and the peak flowering period occurred at the end of March to end of April, and at the end of May to end of June, respectively. Visual estimation of flower cover, counts of pollinator landings on flowers and presence of beneficial arthropods (suction sampling) were performed in three 7–10 day intervals during peak flowering, for each experimental year. Overall, patches with sown plant mixtures attracted higher numbers of pollinating Hymenoptera compared to native vegetation, especially mining bees and honey bees (Apis mellifera) as well as megachilids and bumble bees (Bombus spp.). Sinapis alba , present in both sown and native vegetation patches, attracted mainly mining bees and honey bees. The flowering mixture with C. sativum and B. officinalis was more attractive to honey bees than the one with G. coronaria as main flowering species but they were both equally attractive to mining bees, although the species composition may well have been different. Hymenopterous parasitoids, primarily Braconidae and Chalcidoidea, were sampled from the patches and the olive fruit fly parasitoid Opius concolor (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was recorded on olive trees adjacent to the flowering patches. Large numbers of predators, namely Orius sp. (Hemiptera: Miridae) and lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), were recorded in the patches, principally in those with the mixture containing mostly S. alba. Our results suggest that ground cover in patches with suitable flowering species could be part of a sustainable olive crop management system, providing food and refuge for pollinating insects and beneficial arthropods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There is an increasing trend to develop environmentally friendly and affordable biopesticides across the globe. • Microbial agents represent 60 % of the biopesticide market but only 3 % of the global pesticide market. • Paenibacillus elgii , Pseudomonas spp., Aspergillus spp. and Cladosporum spp. are novel microbial biopesticides. • Combinations of microbial agents with beneficial predators are promising strategies for pest control in protected cropping. • Formulations improvements are needed cost efficiency and broad-spectrum activity for commercial use in protected cropping. The increasing adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural pesticides can be attributed to the continuous development and optimisation of both strategies and availability of products for pest management. This aligns with the increase in global population, decline of arable land and health concerns about synthetic pesticides. One outcome has been the development of protected cropping for enhancing productivity and quality of horticultural products worldwide. In 2020, biopesticides represented 6 % of the global pesticide market, but their share is expected to double and reach nearly 15 % by 2031. Microbial products have been mainly based on a limited number of pathogenic species, including Bacillus thuringiensis , Beauveria bassiana and Metarizhium anisopliae. Here, we review the current progress of biopesticide products for agriculture. In particular, we explore opportunities to utilise entomopathogens in protected cropping (controlled environment agriculture), where they have several advantages for integrated pest management (IPM) in these systems. There are a range of candidate entomopathogens such as Paenibacillus elgii , Pseudomonas spp., Aspergillus spp. and Cladosporum spp. that may be employed as biological control agents (BCAs) in protected cropping. Furthermore, the use of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) is a promising alternative strategy for IPM in protected cropping. Also, we review the future strategies for IPM in protected cropping systems, including the combination of different BCAs. We suggest that interactions between combinations of BCAs, particularly EPF-Entomopathogenic bacteria (EPB) and EPF-beneficial arthropods, can offer promising IPM strategies, providing opportunities towards sustainable food production in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural biological control is an important alternative for the control of insect pests using natural enemies that occur naturally in agroecosystems. The potential of these insects can increase when they are adequately managed. Thus, the objective of this study was to quantify the populations of natural enemies in soybean cultivars with different growth habits planted in different arrangements. The experiment consisted of eight treatments: four planting arrangements and two soybean cultivars, with four replicates. The populations of natural enemies were evaluated from the vegetative stage V3 to crop harvest using a shaking-cloth. A population survey of the beneficial arthropods present on the soil surface was performed in the reproductive stages R2 and R3 with the installation of modified pitfall traps. The main natural enemies that occurred in the culture were Class Arachnida, Order Heteroptera, Order Hymenoptera, Order Coleoptera and Order Dermaptera. The populations of the natural enemies assessed using the shaking-cloth did not show significant differences. However, in the evaluations with the modified pitfall traps in the reproductive stage R3 in the crossed arrangement, the populations of the Coleoptera and Dermaptera orders were higher in the determinate cultivar than in the indeterminate cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Semi‐natural habitats (SNH) provide essential resources for many organisms in agricultural landscapes and can increase biodiversity at the local and landscape scale. For the management of ecosystem services, it is crucial to understand how local characteristics of SNH and the surrounding landscape complexity affect beneficial species. We investigated this for hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae)—an important functional group providing both pest control and pollination services—in a total of 138 SNH within 35 agricultural landscapes in Switzerland and Germany. SNH differed in type (woody, herbaceous), shape (areal, linear) and availability of food resources (floral resources and aphids). They were located along a gradient of landscape complexity (1%–75% SNH in a 1 km radius). In total, 9,030 hoverflies belonging to 89 species were collected. In both countries, hoverfly community composition was mainly driven by SNH type and SNH shape, in addition to landscape complexity in Switzerland. Species richness of hoverflies increased with additional SNH at the landscape scale. However, the ubiquitous and dominant aphidophagous species Episyrphus balteatus was indifferent to landscape composition. Species richness of total and aphidophagous hoverflies was higher in woody than in herbaceous SNH. Hoverfly species richness was similar in linear and areal SNH, but non‐aphidophagous hoverflies were more vulnerable to landscape simplification in linear than areal SNH. Effects of the SNH type partly differed between the two countries. In Germany, the dominant aphidophagous species E. balteatus preferred woody over herbaceous SNH, while no such difference was found in Switzerland. Overall, local richness and abundance of floral resources were poor predictors for hoverfly abundance, richness or community composition. Synthesis and applications. Hoverfly species richness and community composition in semi‐natural habitats (SNH) were mainly driven by the SNH type and landscape complexity. Conservation and restoration of complex agricultural landscapes with a high proportion of different SNH types is therefore key for the conservation of hoverfly diversity, and thus likely to promote pest control and pollination services provided by them. Thereby, local improvement of SNH to promote hoverflies has to consider regional differences in habitat characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel mesoionic insecticide triflumezopyrim was highly effective in controlling both imidacloprid-susceptible and resistant planthopper populations in Malaysia. However, the toxicity of triflumezopyrim to planthopper populations and their natural enemies has been under-investigated in China. In this study, the median lethal concentrations (LC50) of triflumezopyrim were determined in eight field populations of Nilaparvata lugens and one population of Sogatella furcifera from China under laboratory conditions. Triflumezopyrim showed higher toxicity to planthopper populations than the commonly-used insecticide, imidacloprid. Furthermore, the lethal effect of triflumezopyrim on eight beneficial arthropods of planthoppers was investigated in the laboratory and compared with three commonly-used insecticides, thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and abamectin. Triflumezopyrim was harmless to Anagrus nilaparvatae, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis and Paederus fuscipes, while thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and abamectin were moderately harmful or harmful to the insect parasitoid and predators. Triflumezopyrim and thiamethoxam were harmless to the predatory spiders Pirata subpiraticus, Ummeliata insecticeps, Hylyphantes graminicola and Pardosa pseudoannulata, and slightly harmful to Theridion octomaculatum. Chlorpyrifos caused slight to high toxicity to four spider species except U. insecticeps. Abamectin was moderately to highly toxic to all five spider species. Our results indicate that triflumezopyrim has high efficacy for rice planthoppers populations and is compatibile with their natural enemies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promotion of native vegetation as a habitat for natural enemies, which could increase their abundance and fitness, is especially useful in highly simplified settings such as Mediterranean greenhouse landscapes. Spiders as generalist predators may also be involved in intra-guild predation. However, the niche complementarity provided by spiders as a group means that increased spider diversity may facilitate complementary control actions. In this study, the interactions between spiders, the two major horticultural pests, Bemisia tabaci and Frankliniella occidentalis, and their naturally occurring predators and parasitoids were evaluated in a mix of 21 newly planted shrubs selected for habitat management in a highly disturbed horticultural system. The effects of all factors were evaluated using redundancy analysis (RDA) and the generalized additive model (GAM) to assess the statistical significance of abundance of spiders and pests. The GAM showed that the abundance of both pests had a significant effect on hunter spider's abundance, whereas the abundance of B. tabaci, but not F. occidentalis, affected web-weavers' abundance. Ordination analysis showed that spider abundance closely correlated with that of B. tabaci but not with that of F. occidentalis, suggesting that complementarity occurs, and thereby probability of biocontrol, with respect to the targeted pest B. tabaci, although the temporal patterns of the spiders differed from those of F. occidentalis. Conservation strategies involving the establishment of these native plants around greenhouses could be an effective way to reduce pest populations outdoors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flower strips are commonly recommended to boost biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services (e.g., pollination and pest control) on farmland. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regards the extent to which they deliver on these aims. Here, we tested the efficacy of flower strips that targeted different subsets of beneficial arthropods (pollinators and natural enemies) and their ecosystem services in cider apple orchards. Treatments included mixes that specifically targeted: (1) pollinators ('concealed-nectar plants'); (2) natural enemies ('open-nectar plants'); or (3) both groups concurrently (i.e., 'multi-functional' mix). Flower strips were established in alleyways of four orchards and compared to control alleyways (no flowers). Pollinator (e.g., bees) and natural enemy (e.g., parasitoid wasps, predatory flies and beetles) visitation to flower strips, alongside measures of pest control (aphid colony densities, sentinel prey predation), and fruit production, were monitored in orchards over two consecutive growing seasons. Targeted flower strips attracted either pollinators or natural enemies, whereas mixed flower strips attracted both groups in similar abundance to targeted mixes. Natural enemy densities on apple trees were higher in plots containing open-nectar plants compared to other treatments, but effects were stronger for non-aphidophagous taxa. Predation of sentinel prey was enhanced in all flowering plots compared to controls but pest aphid densities and fruit yield were unaffected by flower strips. We conclude that 'multi-functional' flower strips that contain flowering plant species with opposing floral traits can provide nectar and pollen for both pollinators and natural enemies, but further work is required to understand their potential for improving pest control services and yield in cider apple orchards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving natural pest control by promoting high densities of predatory mites (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is an effective way to prevent damage by pest mites (e.g., Eriophyidae, Tetranychidae) and other arthropod taxa that can cause serious damage to vineyards. Here, we investigate the influence of innovative management on predatory mite densities. We compare (i) full versus reduced fungicide applications and (ii)minimal pruning versus a traditional trellis pruning systemin four fungus-resistant grapevine varieties. As predatory mites also feed on fungus mycelium, we assessed fungal infection of grapevine leaves in the experimental vineyard. Predatory mites were significantly more abundant in both minimal pruning and under reduced plant protection. Increases in predatory mites appeared to be independent of fungal infection, suggesting mostly direct effects of reduced fungicides and minimal pruning. In contrast to predatory mites, pest mites did not increase under innovative management. Thus, conditions for natural pest control are improved in fungus-resistant grapevines and underminimal pruning, which adds to other advantages such as environmental safety and reduced production cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single and combined diversification practices in crop fields and their effects on arthropod predators, decomposers and herbivores have mainly been assessed in small plot and cage experiments. In particular, effects of diversification on arthropod predators and their food resources, such as soil fauna, weed seeds and herbivorous prey in entire crop fields across the growing season, remain unclear. We explored how organic fertilisers, with or without the legacy of perennial ley in the crop rotation, and mineral fertiliser without the legacy of perennial ley, affected below- and aboveground communities in 19 spring cereal crop fields. In each field, we determined the abundance of the soil mesofauna, communities of arthropod prey aboveground and of the predator guilds carabids, staphylinids and spiders. We sampled at three crop stages: tillering, heading and ripening. Weed cover and soil characteristics, such as carbon and nitrogen content, were assessed. For most soil mesofauna groups, the combination of organic fertiliser with the legacy of ley gave highest, organic fertiliser with annual crop rotations intermediate, and mineral fertiliser with annual crop rotations the lowest total abundance. Aboveground arthropod prey abundances were similar across treatments. The legacy of ley increased richness of all aboveground arthropod predators. Staphylinid communities' abundance increased additively as diversification treatments were combined during tillering of the crop. Increasing organic amendments, alongside the reduced disturbances through inclusion of perennial ley in the rotation, led to more abundant communities below- and aboveground as well as more richness in aboveground predator communities. • We assessed effects of combined diversification practices on arthropods in cereals. • Combining perennial ley and organic fertilisers enhanced soil fauna and predators. • Predator richness was higher in fields with perennial ley and organic fertiliser. • Legacy effect of perennial ley on soil fauna and predators persisted for 2 years. • Availability of different food resources across treatments aid predator sustenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Germany plant protection products are evaluated and labeled during the approval process according to their effects on beneficial arthropods. Products are labelled for each individual species of beneficial arthropod relevant to the treated crop. Labelling is based on one or more studies with the beneficial arthropod species in question. Lethal and sublethal effects like mortality, rates of parasitism or feeding, fertility and behavioural disorders are evaluated. Based on lethal and sublethal effects determined, products are classified as not harmful, slightly harmful or harmful to the beneficial arthropod species in question.

Semi-natural habitats are key components of rural landscapes because they shelter a significant number of overwintering arthropods that are beneficial to agriculture. However, woodlots are semi-natural habitats with high patch-level heterogeneity and this aspect has been poorly studied. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of woodlot heterogeneity on overwintering ground beetles. Woodlot heterogeneity was characterized in terms of distance from the woodlot boundary and date of the most recent logging operation. We used emergence traps to quantify the population density of ground beetles that overwintered in the different parts of the woodlot. In woodlot edges the densities and species richness of ground beetles were significantly higher than in the rest of the woodlot. Ground beetles that are active in crop fields overwintered in the edges but not in the inner zone of the woodlot. Species assemblages of ground beetles overwintering in the edges were highly diverse. The date of the most recent logging operation did not explain the distribution of ground beetles that overwintered in the woodlot. Our results show that woodlots, and in particular their edges, are used as a winter shelter by ground beetles that spend part of their life in crops, which potentially favours biological control in adjacent crop fields.

Beneficial arthropods provide many important ecosystem services. In agroecosystems, pollination and control of crop pests provide benefits worth billions of dollars annually. Effective sampling and monitoring of these beneficial arthropods is essential for ensuring their short- and long-term viability and effectiveness. There are numerous methods available for sampling beneficial arthropods in a variety of habitats, and these methods can vary in efficiency and effectiveness. In this paper I review active and passive sampling methods for non-Apis bees and arthropod natural enemies of agricultural pests, including methods for sampling flying insects, arthropods on vegetation and in soil and litter environments, and estimation of predation and parasitism rates. Sample sizes, lethal sampling, and the potential usefulness of bycatch are also discussed.

Com o objectivo de verificar o impacte de milho Bt na fauna auxiliar de artrópodes, cultivaram-se, durante três anos (2002-2004), duas variedades de milho geneticamente modificadas (Compa CB e Elgina) e as suas isogénicas (Dracma e Cecília). Os ensaios foram realizados no Núcleo de Ensaios e de Controlo do Escaroupim, no Ribatejo. As amostragens de artrópodes auxiliares foram realizadas quinzenalmente, durante o ciclo vegetativo da cultura, em quatro talhões, usando o método de aspiração. Não se encontraram diferenças na fauna auxiliar existente, entre as cultivares Bt e as suas isogénicas. Os artrópodes auxiliares mais abundantes, em qualquer dos anos e cultivares, foram os antocorídeos. Os himenópteros foram o segundo grupo mais representado, seguido das aranhas.In order to study the impact of transgenic maize on beneficial arthropods, two varieties of maize Bt (Compa CB and Elgina) and the normal ones (Dracma and Cecília) were sown. The trials were carried out, in Escaroupim, Ribatejo, from 2002 to 2004. The surveys were done by using a cordless hand vacuum machine, every 15 days, during the growing season. The results showed no significant differences between arthropods caught in maize Bt and the normal one. The beneficials with the highest numbers caught during the three years were Anthocoridae, Hymenoptera and Aranea were the first, second and third most representative groups of beneficial arthropods during the three years.

Green roofs are considered key elements of the urban green infrastructure since they offer several environmental benefits, including habitat provision for arthropods. To achieve these benefits and ensure green roof success, an appropriate plant selection is an important step in the design of these infrastructures. So far, as green roofs begin to spread in South American cities, most technology comes from the northern hemisphere with little local information on native experiences. Moreover, decisions of using native or exotic plant species in green roofs had never been evaluated taking into account the plant ability to tolerate roof conditions together with their potential to foster beneficial arthropods. By applying an integrative multicriteria decision framework that combined the habitat template hypothesis with the potential of plants to attract floral visitors and natural enemies, we obtained a ranked set of candidate native and exotic plant species. Among the best-ranked candidate species, we further compared the performance of six native and six exotic species in 30 experimental green roofs installed in Córdoba city, Argentina. To evaluate plant success, the occurrence and cover of each species were recorded one year after establishment under two management conditions: regular watering and weeding of spontaneous plants, and no management (15 roofs each). In addition, we registered the number of interactions between selected plants and beneficial arthropods in half of the roofs, considering the influence of available flowers. Under watering and weeding, all selected species increased their vegetative cover one year after establishment. More interestingly, native plants with no management had an advantage over exotic plant species as they exhibited a significantly higher occurrence and a slightly higher cover than exotics. Native annuals were able to reseed the following the dry season even in the absence of management, thus highlighting the relative importance of lifespan as a useful plant trait for future studies in extensive green roof design. In addition, we showed that increasing flower availability in native plants promoted a higher number of interactions with pollinators and natural enemies; a response that was not observed for the exotic plant pool. Finally, by combining data on plants' cover and beneficial arthropods interactions we were able to validate the proposed ranking and selection procedure. Given that green roofs are one of the possible solutions to ameliorate the negative effects of urban habitat loss on arthropod diversity, the development of an integrative multicriteria decision framework that takes into account the potential of native and exotic plant species to tolerate roof conditions and promote beneficial arthropods would give a new twist in plant selection processes for green roofs. [Display omitted] • Plant origin is an important aspect of biodiverse green roof design. • A multicriteria decision model was used to choose native and exotic plants. • By doing so, we selected tolerant plant species that foster beneficial arthropods. • Native plants, experimentally tested, had an advantage in performance over exotics. • Greater floral displays in natives increased beneficial interactions with arthropods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycosid spiders are among the most abundant and diverse insectivores occurring in all agroecosystems. Certain pest management practices, such as the application of pesticides, can disrupt their role in insect pest control. Therefore, understanding the effects of pesticides, including sublethal effects, is essential for the assessment of chemical effects on beneficial arthropods. We investigated the sexual chemical communication of the beneficial agrobiont spider Pardosa agrestis and its disruption by two widely used pesticides, the glyphosate-based herbicide Roundup and the pyrethroïd-based insecticide Nurelle D. A two-choice olfactometer and Y-maze were used to study the effectiveness of female airborne and dragline pheromone cues and the disruptive effect of the pesticides. Males of P. agrestis did not locate females via airborne cues, but were very receptive to female dragline silk and male dragline silk. When both female dragline silk and male dragline silk were provided at the same time, the males preferred female silk. Pesticide treatments significantly affected the male ability to follow female cues deposited on dragline silk. The 3-h residues of both Roundup and Nurelle D significantly disrupted the male ability to follow female cues deposited on dragline silk. Treatment by 48-h residues significantly disrupted the male ability only in the case of Nurelle D. Our results demonstrate that pesticides reduce the ability of male spiders to search for a mate due to the disruption of the male's ability to detect the silk cues of the female. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in vitro rearing of queen bees can improve the management and conservation of pollinator insects. Here, we have developed an in vitro queen-rearing protocol for Plebeia droryana (Apidae, Meliponini). Firstly, we evaluated the amount of food offered naturally to P. droryana queen larvae. After, we grafted P. droryana larvae onto acrylic plates which were kept in constant darkness at 25 °C and different relative humidity along larval development. We also compared intertegular distance of P. droryana queens reared in vitro and naturally. We then tested whether queens reared in vitro would be accepted into new colonies with older and/ or callow workers. We found that P. droryana larvae developed into queens if fed with 66 μL of larval food. The survival rate of P. droryana queens was > 75 %. The queens reared in vitro are similar in size to naturally produced ones. Finally, colonies only containing callow workers are more likely to accept queens reared in vitro. This queen-rearing technique may improve beekeeping practices in the Neotropical Region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 Weed harrowing is an alternative to herbicides but it may have negative effects on epigaeic arthropods. We assessed the effects of frequent (four) versus two harrowings during the growing season on the density and diversity of generalist arthropods and the weed flora. Collection by flooding was used to estimate arthropod densities, after collection of weeds and crop for biomass estimation. 2 The predatory guild of spiders Tachyporus spp. carabids was reduced by frequent harrowing. Spiders and Tachyporus spp. were the most sensitive, with up to 38% higher density in plots harrowed only twice compared with four times. Furthermore, a marginally significant decrease in arthropod diversity was found after four harrowings. The negative effect of frequent harrowing on arthropods was probably caused by a combination of direct lethal effects and habitat disruption. Additional harrowings reduced weeds with weed seed biomass, on average, being 77% higher and species diversity being 48% higher in plots harrowed only twice compared with four times. There was a positive relationship between weed biomass and predatory arthropod guild density, supporting the hypothesis that weeds promote generalist arthropod predators. 3 Weed harrowing should be carried out early and limited to a minimum to protect flora and fauna. Frequent harrowing had no positive effect on yield, suggesting that more weeds can be tolerated to support biodiversity and biocontrol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of the surrogate species concept is widespread in environmental risk assessment and in efforts to protect species that provide ecosystem services, yet there are no standard protocols for the choice of surrogates. Surrogates are often chosen on the basis of convenience or vague resemblances in physiology or life history to species of concern. Furthermore, our ability to predict how species of concern will fare when subjected to disturbances such as environmental contaminants or toxicants is often based on woefully misleading comparisons of static toxicity tests. Here we present an alternative approach that features a simple mathematical model parameterized with life history data applied to an assemblage of species that provide an important ecosystem service: a suite of parasitoid wasps that provide biological control of agricultural pests. Our results indicate that these parasitoid wasp species have different population responses to toxic insult--that is, we cannot predict how all four species will react to pesticide exposure simply by extrapolating from the response of any one species. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis of survivorship and reproduction demonstrates that the life stage most sensitive to pesticide disturbance varies among species. Taken together, our results suggest that the abihty to predict the fate of a suite of species using the response of just one species (the surrogate species concept) is widely variable and potentially misleading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We examined the transition to organic production in a cropping systems experiment. [•] We analyzed cover crop and tillage effects on yields using structural equation models. [•] Cover crops affected predatory arthropods and weeds, but not yields. [•] Tillage affected yields directly and indirectly via perennial weed density. [•] Tillage presents a trade-off between weed control and long-term soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many farmers rely on regular pesticide applications to avoid losses from arthropod pests and the diseases they vector. However, widespread and injudicious use of pesticides is detrimental to the environment, poses a health risk, and undermines biocontrol services. Researchers are increasingly required to develop techniques to quantify the trade-offs and risks associated with pesticides. Laboratory studies, though useful for assessing short-term impacts (e.g., mortality), cannot detect longer-term or indirect effects that can potentially be assessed using semifield studies. Here we review the range and scope of studies that have used semifield methods for regulatory testing and risk assessment of pesticides and for understanding the community-level effects of pesticide use in agricultural landscapes. We include studies on target and nontarget species, with an emphasis on quantifying effects when the target species is highly mobile. We suggest improvements in the design and analysis of semifield studies to more effectively assess effects on highly mobile species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]