Biology of some ground beetles (Col., Carabidae) injurious to strawberries

Abstract

Work at East Malling, Kent, between 1952 and 1963 on the biology of Harpalus rufipes (Deg.) (Carabidae), the strawberry seed beetle, is described in detail, and briefer notes are given on the life-histories of H. aeneus (F.), Feronia melanaria (Ill.) and F. madida (F.), which are less abundant but may also damage strawberries. Soil samples for larvae were washed over suitable sieves, those for pupae and adults were carefully searched in the field. Soil sampling showed that adults of H. rufipes colonised strawberry fields only during the fruiting period, weedy arable land and grassy situations being preferred at other times. By soil sampling, it was found that larvae of H. rufipes hatched from eggs laid in weedy soil in late summer, and evidence from pitfall trapping showed that the first two instars were sometimes active on the soil surface from August to December, before penetrating to a depth of 6–18 in. to overwinter. Development was resumed in April, but the larvae remained and the pupae were subsequently found at the overwinter depth in the soil, the larvae presumably feeding on the seed of fat hen (Chenopodium album) lodged in worm burrows. Third-instar larvae occurred from April to July, and adults emerged soon after. In the laboratory, adults lived for a further two years, hibernating in winter, and becoming active and breeding each summer. Laboratory observations on oviposition periods, fecundity and feeding were also made. Larvae, which in the field were mostly found associated with plants of fat hen, fed on germinating seeds of several plants in the laboratory but growth was most rapid when they were reared on the germinating seed of fat hen.The life-cycles and habits of the three other species are briefly described and compared with those of H. rufipes, the seasonal occurrence of the different stages in the life-cycles of all species being shown in a table.