Studies were initiated during 2000, and continued during 2001, to determine if type of edge (wooded versus nonwooded) has a significant effect of the relative abundance and diversity of predatory and phytophagous foliage-dwelling insects present in edges of soybean agroecosystems. Insects were sampled in the edges of soybean plantings that either had a woods along an edge or part of an edge, or soybean plantings that had nonwooded edges (e.g., roads, residential areas, or other crop fields) every 10-14 days using a sweep net during July and August of 2000 and 2001. The most abundant predators were Orius insidiosus, Nabis spp., and ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Phytophagous insect species included Popillia japonica, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, and Diabrotica barberi. Statistical analyses of species richness, species diversity indices, and relative abundance are being conducted to determine if there is a significant effect of edge type.
Species 1: Hemiptera Anthocoridae Orius insidiosus (minute pirate bug)
Species 2: Coleoptera Coccinellidae Harmonia axyridis (multi-colored Asian lady beetle)
Species 3: Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Diabrotica virgifera (western corn rootworm)
Keywords: predators, species diversity
The ESA 2001 Annual Meeting - 2001: An Entomological Odyssey of ESA