Abstract
A list of alien ladybird (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) species to Europe was prepared and the history and circumstances of their introductions were determined. Currently there are twelve alien ladybird species in Europe, originating from Australian, Oriental, Nearctic, Palearctic and Afrotropical regions. All of the species were intentionally released as biological control agents and most are coccidophagous species. The aphidophagous Harmonia axyridis is the only ladybird regarded as invasive in Europe. The main factors leading to successful establishment were food relationship, living in different habitats in different geographical regions and geographic origin. We found that successful invaders, in their native areas, showed adaptability to a wide range of conditions compared to non-invasive species. Larger aphidophagous alien ladybirds were found to develop as fast as native species. Characteristics that did not differ between native and alien species are thermal requirements for development, fecundity and body size. However, unlike other alien ladybirds, H. axyridis had higher potential dispersal ability.
Highlights
Most species of ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are carnivorous predators that feed on a variety of phytophagous arthropods including aphids, coccids and mites (Giorgi et al, 2009; Weber and Lundgren, 2009) and render important services to agricultural and forest ecosystems through biological control of those pests
Seven species that became established in the Nearctic were selected for analysis: C. septempunctata, C. undecimpunctata L., H. axyridis, H. dimidiata (Fabricius), H. quadripunctata (Pontoppidan), Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), and Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.) (Hemptinne et al, 2012)
The 12 alien ladybird species recorded in Europe were introduced to control coccids, aphids, psyllids and whitefly, with the majority of the species being coccidophagous
Summary
Most species of ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are carnivorous predators that feed on a variety of phytophagous arthropods including aphids, coccids and mites (Giorgi et al, 2009; Weber and Lundgren, 2009) and render important services to agricultural and forest ecosystems through biological control of those pests. Biological control using coccinellids started in the late 1800s with the successful introduction of Rodolia cardinalis Mulsant from Australia to control populations of the coccid Icerya purchasi Maskell infesting citrus orchards in California. The objective of the imports and releases was the establishment of self-perpetuating populations in order to exert natural control over specific pests (Michaud, 2012). Besides the benefits, this process bears risks, including the spread and establishment of ladybirds in new geographic ranges. The environmental costs (e.g., effects of an alien biological control agent on species other than the pest species) may be high (van Lenteren et al, 2008).
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