Arthropod diversity (Arthropoda) on abandoned apple trees

Abstract

In 2010 and 2011, the occurrence of arthropods on apple trees without management was monitored near the village of Velké Bílovice, South Moravia, in two selected localities (an abandoned apple tree orchard and a road apple tree alley). Arthropods in tree tops were killed using deltamehtrin applied with a fogger (Puls Fog). Each collection always contained the material from 5 trees in each site. In 2010, three collections were performed (28/4, 20/5, and 9/7), two in 2011 (11/5 and 23/6). Representatives of eleven orders were captured. Of all the orders trapped, Coleoptera was represented most frequently, the Hymenoptera and Diptera followed. In the alley, individuals of the Coleoptera (34%) were caught most frequently, the Hymenoptera (19.6%) and Hemiptera (17.4%) followed. In the orchard, the Coleoptera (41.4%) was represented most frequently, followed by the Hymenoptera (21.9%) and Diptera (15%). In both the environments, species with negative economic impact were recorded (e.g. Anthonomus pyri, Tatianaerhynchites aequatus, Cydia pomonella, Rhynchites bacchus). However, a greater number of pest antagonists were also found (Scambus pomorum, Coccinella septempunctata, Episyrphus balteatus, Pentatoma rufipes, Orius spp.). Some species were important in faunistic terms, as some critically endangered species were recorded (e.g. Dipoena erythropus, Cryptocephalus schaefferi), and the Plectochorus iwatensis species was recorded for the first time in the Czech Republic.