The Insect Pests, the Associated Predatory Insects and Prevailing Spiders in Rice Fields

Abstract

Rice, Oryza sativa L. is a very important food crop in Egypt as well as allover the world. Rice plants are attacked by several insect pest species. The current study was undertaken at the experimental farm of Sakha Agricultural Research Station during 2017 and 2018 rice seasons. Twenty-one insect pest species, belonging to Diptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Thysanoptera were collected from rice nurseries and paddy fields using sweep net and pitfall traps. Orders: Hemiptera, Orthoptera and Diptera represented the majority of species number, with 33.33, 28.57 and 23.81%, respectively. Larvae of Chilo agamemnon Bles. Were rare during July, moderate during August, and high during September. Hydrellia prosternalis Deem. was more dominant just after transplanting, on rice that sown after mid-May. Population density of Chironomus spp. was moderate during May, high in July, greatly declined in September. As for insect predators, 34 species were captured, belonging to eight orders and 16 families. Order Coleoptera was represented by 15 species (44.12% out of total), followed by Hymenoptera (20.59%), and Odonata (14.71%). Sixteen spider species, belonging to nine families, were surveyed. They were f belonging to Lycosidae, Tetragnathidae and Salticidae. All spiders and insect predators appeared during the period from nurseries up to harvest. This way indicates the richness of rice fields, in Egypt, with bio control agents that should be conserved to minimize application of insecticides and regain the natural balance in rice fields.