Predators were sampled quantitatively, by D-vac followed by hand search, in two Oklahoma wheat fields. Aphids were also sampled, by direct tiller counts. The most abundant predators were spiders, followed in decreasing order of abundance by staphylinids, nabids, carabids, coccinellids, and chrysopids. The densities of linyphiids, which were the most abundant spiders and which are generally considered to be important in cereal aphid biological control, were negatively correlated with aphid densities. Staphylinid densities were positively correlated with aphid densities.
Species 1: Araneae Linyphiidae
Species 2: Coleoptera Staphylinidae
Species 3: Coleoptera Coccinellidae
Keywords: D-vac
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA