Abstract
The phenomenon of ladybird beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) aggregation was noticed during April, May and June, 2013 at the Mediterranean sea shore of Baltim city, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Northern Delta, Egypt. The occurring coccinellid species were surveyed. The survey included the sandy sea shore and the adjacent vegetations; wheat, clover and weeds. Massive aggregations of the coccinellids were found along the sea coast for about 110 km, extending from Baltim city (Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate) up to Rasheed city (Beheira Governorate). Ten coccinellid species were recorded; Coccinella undecimpunctata L., C. novemnotata Herbst., C. septempunctata L.,Cydonia vicina isis Mul.,Hippodamia convergens Guerin- Meneville, H. tredecimpunctata L., H. variegata (Goeze), Hippodamia sp., Rodalia cardinalis Mul., and Scymnus spp. The phenomenon didn’t occur in year 2014 but re-occurred in year 2015 and again disappeared in 2016. The most dominant species was C. undecimpunctata (90.55 and 86.84%), followed by C. novemnotata (6.30 and 12.39%) in 2013 and 2015, respectively. All other coccinellid species were collected in little numbers. In 2013, the majority of coccinellids (46.30and 18.74%) were recorded by late April and3rd week of May, respectively. In the same year, the wheat plantations harbored 75.15%. C. septempunctata, followed by C. undecimpunctata (17.52%) and H. tredecimpunctata (6.53%). In clover, the most dominant species was C. undecimpunctata (51.71%), followed by H. tredecimpunctata (17.11%), and then Hippodamia spp. (12.63%). In weeds, C. undecimpunctata was the most occurring (42.73%), followed by Scymnus spp. (29%). In 2015, C. undecimpunctata was the most dominant in wheat, clover and weeds, with values of 90.49, 80.71 and 49.92%, respectively. C. vicina isis and Scymnus spp.were detected only in weeds
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