Notes on the Life History of Aleochara bilineata (Gyll.) (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), and on Its Potential Value as a Control Agent for the Cabbage Maggot, Hylemya brassicae (Bouché) (Diptera: Anthomyiidae)

Abstract

The rove beetle, Aleochara bilineata Gyll., is known as a predator and a parasite of the cabbage maggot, Hylemya brassicae (Bouché), in most areas where the latter is an economic pest of cruciferous crops (Wishart, 1957; Wishart et al., 1956, 1957; Hughes, 1959). However, although A. bilineata is an extremely prolific insect (Colhoun, 1953; Wishart et al., 1956), in that the adult beetles destroy root maggot eggs and larvae and the parasite larvae destroy root magpt pupae, little has been reported concerning the economic value of the predator-parasite as a natural control agent. Preliminary studies in Prince Edward Island indicated that the predator destroved large numbers of root maggots but it did not appear to sive economic control (Read, 1960). Details of the biology of this predator have been presented by Colhoun (1953). This is a report of studies conducted to determine the potential value of A. bilineata as a natural control agent, and includes observations on the comparative life histories of host and parasite and notes on predation and parasitism in the greenhouse and on parasitism in the field.