Hoverfly Episyrphus Balteatus Research Articles

Temperature-dependent Prey Consumption and Functional Response of Episyrphus balteatus De Geer (Diptera: Syrphidae) to Macrosiphum rosae L. (Homoptera: Aphididae) reared on Rosa alba L. under Laboratory Conditions

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the prey consumption and functional response of the aphidophagous hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus DeGeer (Diptera: Syrphidae) to different densities of fourth instar rose aphids, Macrosiphum rosae (Homoptera: Aphididae), reared on Rosa alba L. (Rosaceae) at 20 oC, 27 oC and 35 oC. The third instar of E.balteatus consumed a maximum of 51.3±0.53 M. rosae aphids at 27 oC, followed by the third instar with 46.5±0.53 aphid predation at 20 oC. The lowest handling time (Th) was noted for the third instar larvae of E. balteatus (0.407± 0.012) at 27 oC, and the maximum handling time (Th) of (0.662 ± 0.024) was noted for 2nd larvae of E. balteatus at 35 oC. The highest attack rate was noted for 3rd instar larvae (0.201± 0.014) at 27 oC, while the lowest attack rate was noted for second instar at 35 oC. Both instars of Episyrphus balteatus exhibited type II functional response at all three temperatures.

Windborne migration amplifies insect-mediated pollination services.

Worldwide, hoverflies (Syrphidae: Diptera) provide crucial ecosystem services such as pollination and biological pest control. Although many hoverfly species exhibit migratory behavior, the spatiotemporal facets of these movement dynamics, and their ecosystem services implications are poorly understood. In this study, we use long-term (16-year) trapping records, trajectory analysis, and intrinsic (i.e., isotope, genetic, pollen) markers to describe migration patterns of the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus in northern China. Our work reveals how E. balteatus migrate northward during spring-summer and exhibits return (long-range) migration during autumn. The extensive genetic mixing and high genetic diversity of E. balteatus populations underscore its adaptive capacity to environmental disturbances, for example, climate change. Pollen markers and molecular gut analysis further illuminate how E. balteatus visits min. 1012 flowering plant species (39 orders) over space and time. By thus delineating E. balteatus transregional movements and pollination networks, we advance our understanding of its migration ecology and facilitate the design of targeted strategies to conserve and enhance its ecosystem services.

Exploitative competition for floral resources reduces sugar intake but differently impacts the foraging behaviour of two non‐bee flower visitors

Identifying which behavioural strategies maximize individual fitness is a key objective in ecology. Organisms are known to adapt their foraging behaviour to their environment in response to abiotic and biotic constraints, such as the distribution of resources or the presence of competitors. For instance, bees are known to avoid recently visited flowers and thus focus their foraging on more rewarding patches. Whether other flower‐visiting insects adapt their foraging behaviour in response to exploitative competition for floral resources remains unknown. Here, we asked if a predatory hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and a parasitoid Aphidius colemani 1) are physiologically impacted by flower resource limitation following exploitation of flowers by a competitor (either the bumblebee Bombus terrestris or E. balteatus); 2) have the ability to discriminate flowers that were previously exploited by a competitor; and 3) modify their foraging behaviour accordingly. Episyrphus balteatus and A. colemani individuals foraging on previously exploited flowers were found to be less concentrated in sugar compounds, especially in fructose and glucose, suggesting that previously exploited flowers contained less available sugars. Nevertheless, individuals did not avoid previously exploited patches in the choice experiment. On the contrary, E. balteatus females preferentially landed on inflorescences that had previously been exploited by conspecifics (but not by B. terrestris), while A. colemani did not show preferences between inflorescences. However, female hoverflies spent more time feeding on unexploited patches, suggesting that exploited patches were resource limited. To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of the use of social cues among E. balteatus individuals in food foraging strategies. It also shows that even insects with tiny nectar requirements, such as parasitoids, can suffer from heavy exploitative competition. Such results may have applied consequences for the understanding of natural enemy conservation, in particular in agroecosystems where competition with honeybees may be important.

Performance of a predatory hoverfly feeding on Myzus persicae (Hem. Aphididae) reared on two brassicaceous plants varies with ant attendance

Food webs centered on aphids contain networks of species, some directly related to prey characteristics, others mediated via the characteristics of the host plant. These tritrophic interactions can be even more extensive and complex when ants are present in aphid colonies. This study investigated how the presence of ants (Cataglyphis aenescens Nylander and Formica cunicularia Latreille) in colonies of a generalist aphid (Myzus persicae Sulzer) can influence (i) the performance of an important generalist aphidophage (the common hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus DeGeer) feeding on aphids growing on two host plants that express different levels of the glucosinolate sinigrin (Brassica napus L. and Brassica nigra L.); and (ii), the oviposition of the aphidophage on ant-free versus ant-tended aphid colonies. Individual fitness was calculated from performance measures, and the number of eggs laid by gravid females used as a measure of preference. Ant presence significantly reduced the survival rate of predator immature stages, but there were no significant effects of host plant (sinigrin content), and host plant did not interact with ant presence. Female fecundity was significantly reduced by ant presence and varied between host plants, but these factors did not interact significantly. Syrphid females avoided ovipositing in the presence of ants, independent of plant species. Overall, the presence of ants in aphid colonies reduced predator performance and reduced oviposition by hoverfly females. Therefore the ant-aphid interaction is important in biological control as it influences the distribution of aphidophagous syrphids within the habitat.

Hoverfly preference for high honeydew amounts creates enemy-free space for aphids colonizing novel host plants.

The existence of an enemy-free space can play an important role in aphid host race formation processes, but little is known about the mechanisms that create an area of low predation pressure on particular host plants. In this paper, we identify a mechanism generating lower predation pressure that promotes the maintenance of the different host races of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) complex, a well-studied model for ecological speciation. The pea aphid consists of at least 15 genetically distinct host races which are native to specific host plants of the legume family, but can all develop on the universal host plant Vicia faba. Previous work showed that hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus) oviposition preferences contribute to the enemy-free space that helps to maintain the different pea aphid host races, and that higher amounts of honeydew are more attractive to ovipositing hoverflies. Here we demonstrated that aphid honeydew is produced in large amounts when aphid reproduction rate was highest, and is an important oviposition cue for hoverflies under field conditions. However, on less suitable host plants, where honeydew production is reduced, pea aphids enjoy lower predation rates. A reduction in enemy pressure can mitigate the performance disadvantages of aphids colonizing a novel host and probably plays an important role in pea aphid host race formation.

Maternal co-ordinate gene regulation and axis polarity in the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita.

Axis specification and segment determination in dipteran insects are an excellent model system for comparative analyses of gene network evolution. Antero-posterior polarity of the embryo is established through systems of maternal morphogen gradients. In Drosophila melanogaster, the anterior system acts through opposing gradients of Bicoid (Bcd) and Caudal (Cad), while the posterior system involves Nanos (Nos) and Hunchback (Hb) protein. These systems act redundantly. Both Bcd and Hb need to be eliminated to cause a complete loss of polarity resulting in mirror-duplicated abdomens, so-called bicaudal phenotypes. In contrast, knock-down of bcd alone is sufficient to induce double abdomens in non-drosophilid cyclorrhaphan dipterans such as the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus or the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita. We investigate conserved and divergent aspects of axis specification in the cyclorrhaphan lineage through a detailed study of the establishment and regulatory effect of maternal gradients in M. abdita. Our results show that the function of the anterior maternal system is highly conserved in this species, despite the loss of maternal cad expression. In contrast, hb does not activate gap genes in this species. The absence of this activatory role provides a precise genetic explanation for the loss of polarity upon bcd knock-down in M. abdita, and suggests a general scenario in which the posterior maternal system is increasingly replaced by the anterior one during the evolution of the cyclorrhaphan dipteran lineage.

Responses of Episyrphus balteatus DeGeer (Diptera: Syrphidae) in relation to prey density and predator size

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the functional and numerical responses of the aphidophagous hover fly Episyrphus balteatus DeGeer (Diptera: Syrphidae) to different densities of 4th instar black bean aphids, Aphis fabae Scopoli (Homoptera: Aphididae), on broad bean, Vicia faba L. (Fabaceae). Two different-sized larvae of predators were tested in different densities of similar-sized prey to determine whether functional response parameters depended on the body sizes of predator and prey. In numerical response experiments, gravid E. balteatus females were exposed individually to different densities of 4th instars of A. fabae on cut sections of the broad bean plant, V. faba L. Logistic regression suggested a type II functional response for both larval sizes of E. balteatus. The searching efficiency (a) of the larger larvae was higher than that of the smaller ones. Prey consumption was higher, and handling time (Th) was lower for larger larvae than smaller ones. The theoretical maximum number of A. fabae nymphs eaten by the different-sized larvae was 125 and 269 nymphs per day. Larger E. balteatus larvae are more efficient predators for aphid management strategies. The reproductive numerical response, in terms of the number of eggs laid, increased curvilinearly with increasing prey density, but the proportion of eggs laid (egg number/prey density) decreased as the initial density of prey increased.

Molecular analysis of the gut contents of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) as a method for detecting intra-guild predation by this species on aphidophagous predators other than coccinellids

Several studies have demonstrated that the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis is a strong intra-guild predator of native species of ladybird. Laboratory studies have shown that H. axyridis can be an intra-guild predator of aphid predators other than coccinellids, including the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and lacewing Chrysoperla carnea. However, little is known about the effect of intra-guild predation (IGP) by H. axyridis on hoverfly and lacewing populations in the field. In the present study molecular analyses were used to detect the DNA of E. balteatus and C. carnea in the gut contents of H. axyridis. Primers for the syrphid and chrysopid prey were designed and feeding experiments performed to determine how long prey DNA remains detectable in the guts of this ladybird. DNA detection was influenced by the life stage of the predator and species of prey. Meal size did not affect detection time, except when fourth instar individuals of H. axyridis were fed 10 eggs or one second instar of C. carnea. Predator weight, sex and morpho-type (melanic/non-melanic) did not influence DNA detection. The half-life of the time for which the DNA of the prey remained detectable was calculated for each predator-prey combination, and ranged from 8.9 to 52.4 h. This method can be used to study the ecological importance of IGP by H. axyridis on aphidophagous predators other than coccinellids in the field.

Lack of genetic differentiation between contrasted overwintering strategies of a major pest predator Episyrphus balteatus (Diptera: Syrphidae): implications for biocontrol.

Winter ecology of natural enemies has a great influence on the level and efficiency of biological control at spring. The hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (DeGeer) (Diptera: Syrphidae) is one of the most important natural predators of crop aphids in Europe. Three different overwintering strategies coexist in this species which makes it a good model in order to study ecologically-based speciation processes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether E. balteatus populations with alternative overwintering strategies are genetically differentiated. To that aim, we developed 12 specific microsatellite markers and evaluated the level of neutral genetic differentiation between E. balteatus field populations that overwinter in the three different ways described in this species (i.e. migration, local overwintering at a pre-imaginal stage, and local overwintering at adult stage). Results showed a lack of neutral genetic differentiation between individuals with different overwintering strategies although there are strong ecological differences between them. All pair-wise FST values are below 0.025 and non-significant, and Bayesian clustering showed K = 1 was the most likely number of genetic clusters throughout our sample. The three overwintering strategies form one unique panmictic population. This suggests that all the individuals may have genetic material for the expression of different overwintering phenotypes, and that their commitment in one particular overwintering strategy may depend on environmental and individual factors. Consequently, the prevalence of the different overwintering strategies would be potentially modified by landscape engineering and habitat management which could have major implications for biological control.

Dichotomy of male and female responses to hoverfly-driven cues and floral competition in the parasitoid wasp Aphidius ervi Haliday

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that floral visitation and foraging by the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus De Geer would have no effect on the attraction to, or use of, flowers by the parasitoid wasp Aphidius ervi Haliday. Results demonstrated that in two-way choice tests, air-streams emanating from live Fagopyrum esculentum Moench (buckwheat) flowers were significantly more attractive than clean air to both male and female wasps, by more than one and two orders of magnitude, respectively. When air-streams from flowers presented alone were compared to those from flowers presented with E. balteatus, or exposed to E. balteatus prior to use, no preferences were detected. Nevertheless, air that had passed through chambers containing only live E. balteatus was significantly repellent to female wasps, with individuals spending 18 times less in these air-streams than clean air. Conversely, air passed over E. balteatus was attractive to male A. ervi, with wasps spending more than six times longer in this vs. clean air. We argue that hoverfly floral visitation/use should have minimal impact on floral attractiveness to A. ervi based on these results, and that for male wasps greater benefits might be gained by responding positively to hoverfly volatiles in the absence of floral cues.In a separate experiment, a consistent trend for reduced fitness of female A. ervi on caged F. esculentum was observed under increasing competitive pressure from E. balteatus. High densities of hoverflies significantly reduced wasp longevity by more than 25%, though lower densities had no significant effect. Conversely, male A. ervi appeared to survive for longer where higher densities of hoverflies were present, though results were not as clear-cut statistically. We argue that antagonistic interactions seen between hoverflies and female A. ervi were the result of behavioural interference and would only be observed in the field under conditions of extreme competitive pressure.

Encounters with aphid predators or their residues impede searching and oviposition by the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi (Hymenoptera: Aphidiinae)

Intraguild predation (IGP) can be an important factor influencing the effectiveness of aphid natural enemies in biological control. In particular, aphid parasitoid foraging could be influenced by the presence of predators. This study investigated the effect of larvae of the predatory hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus DeGeer (Diptera: Syrphidae) and the multicolored Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on the foraging behavior of the aphid parasitoid, Aphidius ervi Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) in choice experiments using a leaf disc bioassay. Wasp response to chemical tracks left by those predator larvae was also tested. Parasitoid behavior was recorded using the Observer (Noldus Information Technology, version 5.0, Wageningen, the Netherlands). The experiments were conducted under controlled environmental conditions using leaves of the broad bean plant, Vicia faba L. (Fabaceae) with Myzus persicae Sulzer (Homoptera: Aphididae) as the host complex. A. ervi females avoided aphid patches when larvae of either predator were present. A similar avoidance response was shown by A. ervi to aphid patches with E. balteatus larval tracks, whereas no significant response was observed to tracks left by H. axyridis larvae. It was concluded that IG predator avoidance shown by the aphid parasitoid A. ervi may be a factor affecting their distribution among host patches.

Comparative transcriptomics of early dipteran development

BackgroundModern sequencing technologies have massively increased the amount of data available for comparative genomics. Whole-transcriptome shotgun sequencing (RNA-seq) provides a powerful basis for comparative studies. In particular, this approach holds great promise for emerging model species in fields such as evolutionary developmental biology (evo-devo).ResultsWe have sequenced early embryonic transcriptomes of two non-drosophilid dipteran species: the moth midge Clogmia albipunctata, and the scuttle fly Megaselia abdita. Our analysis includes a third, published, transcriptome for the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus. These emerging models for comparative developmental studies close an important phylogenetic gap between Drosophila melanogaster and other insect model systems. In this paper, we provide a comparative analysis of early embryonic transcriptomes across species, and use our data for a phylogenomic re-evaluation of dipteran phylogenetic relationships.ConclusionsWe show how comparative transcriptomics can be used to create useful resources for evo-devo, and to investigate phylogenetic relationships. Our results demonstrate that de novo assembly of short (Illumina) reads yields high-quality, high-coverage transcriptomic data sets. We use these data to investigate deep dipteran phylogenetic relationships. Our results, based on a concatenation of 160 orthologous genes, provide support for the traditional view of Clogmia being the sister group of Brachycera (Megaselia, Episyrphus, Drosophila), rather than that of Culicomorpha (which includes mosquitoes and blackflies).

Correction: Conserved Odorant-Binding Proteins from Aphids and Eavesdropping Predators

The authors have become aware of concerns over the reliability of some of the results reported in the article. Figure 1 shows of SaveOBP3 and ApisOBP3 in the multicolored Asian lady bug Harmonia axyridis (HaxyOBP3) and in the marmalade hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (EbalOBP3). The cDNAs encoding these proteins were cloned in the Belgium laboratory at the University of Liege and subsequent parts of the work, specifically protein expression, biochemical and biophysical studies and binding assays, were performed in the UC Davis laboratory. Recently, we attempted to re-clone HaxyOBP3 at UC Davis and were surprised that our attempts were unrewarding. We were also unable to clone the HaxyOBP3 cDNA using samples from different locations. Additionally, we performed Western blots using an aphid OBP3 antibody (received from Paolo Pelosi, University of Pisa, Italy) and found no evidence of HaxyOBP3 being expressed in the beetle antennae. We have also tried similar attempts with EbalOPB3 and were unable to clone EbalOBP3 cDNA or find the putative protein band. We therefore conclude that the orthologs from beetle (HaxyOBP3) and the hoverfly (EbalOBP3) reported in the article are artifacts, probably derived from the template from the European grain aphid, Sitobion avenae. In conclusion, Figure 1 in the article is inaccurate and its results should be disregarded. The expression of the EbalOBP3 recombinant protein and the data presented in Figures 2 and 3 are accurate, however, readers should be aware that the EbalOBP3 gene reported is likely chimeric, and thus that the results do not represent proteins naturally expressed in the antennae of the marmalade hoverfly.

Conserved Odorant-Binding Proteins from Aphids and Eavesdropping Predators

BackgroundThe sesquiterpene (E)-ß-farnesene is the main component of the alarm pheromone system of various aphid species studied to date, including the English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae. Aphid natural enemies, such as the marmalade hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus and the multicolored Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis, eavesdrop on aphid chemical communication and utilize (E)-ß-farnesene as a kairomone to localize their immediate or offspring preys. These aphid-predator systems are important models to study how the olfactory systems of distant insect taxa process the same chemical signal. We postulated that odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), which are highly expressed in insect olfactory tissues and involved in the first step of odorant reception, have conserved regions involved in binding (E)-ß-farnesene.MethodologyWe cloned OBP genes from the English grain aphid and two major predators of this aphid species. We then expressed these proteins and compare their binding affinities to the alarm pheromone/kairomone. By using a fluorescence reporter, we tested binding of (E)-ß-farnesene and other electrophysiologically and behaviorally active compounds, including a green leaf volatile attractant.ConclusionWe found that OBPs from disparate taxa of aphids and their predators are highly conserved proteins, with apparently no orthologue genes in other insect species. Properly folded, recombinant proteins from the English grain aphid, SaveOBP3, and the marmalade hoverfly, EbalOBP3, specifically bind (E)-ß-farnesene with apparent high affinity. For the first time we have demonstrated that insect species belonging to distinct Orders have conserved OBPs, which specifically bind a common semiochemical and has no binding affinity for related compounds.

Side effects of flonicamide and pymetrozine on five aphid natural enemy species

The effects of flonicamide and pymetrozine, on inert and natural substrates, on the rove beetle Aleochara bilineata (Gyll.), the parasitic wasp Aphidius rhopalosiphi (DeStefani-Perez), the ladybird Adalia bipunctata (L.), the carabid beetle Bembidion lampros (Herbst), and the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (DeGeer) were assessed in the laboratory. Deltamethrin and pirimicarb were also tested as toxic reference compounds. The results indicated high selectivity of flonicamide and pymetrozine for all the species tested. No significant effects on B. lampros and A. bilineata were recorded for sand or on E. balteatus for plants. Pymetrozine on inert substrates had no effects on A. bipunctata larvae, whereas flonicamid was slightly toxic on glass plates but harmless on plants. Both compounds were toxic to adult A. rhopalosiphi on glass plates and on plants in the laboratory, but no effects were observed on plants treated in the field. In comparison, the toxic reference products were always more toxic. Compared with classical insecticides tested on the same species using similar methods, flonicamide and pymetrozine seem to be promising insecticides for aphid control in terms of selectivity for aphid antagonists.

Side effects of pesticides on the larvae of the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus in the laboratory

The hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus (Degeer) is one of the most abundant predators of the cabbage aphid (Brevicoryne brassicae (L.)) in brussels sprouts in Belgium. In the current laboratory study, the toxicity of several insecticides applied at maximum recommended field rates was investigated on the larvae of E. balteatus. Two- to 3-day-old larvae were confined in glass petri dishes with dry residues of freshly applied insecticides. Their mortality was checked daily until adult emergence. Sub-lethal effects were investigated by assessing the reproductive performance of adult hoverflies, originating from the surviving larvae. Of the five compounds tested, only pirimicarb caused 100% larval mortality. The corrected mortality for spinosad was 60% and the adults obtained from the surviving larvae did not succeed in laying eggs. Therefore, pirimicarb and spinosad were rated “harmful” (International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants (IOBC) category 4) for the larvae of E. balteatus. In contrast, flonicamid, thiacloprid and spirotetramat yielded much lower mortality percentages. The hatching rate of hoverfly eggs treated with flonicamid was 25.6% vs 48.7% in the control. Hence, flonicamid was rated “slightly harmful” (IOBC category 2). The fertility of adults treated as larvae with thiacloprid or spirotetramat was not affected (IOBC category 1). These laboratory trials suggest that thiacloprid and spirotetramat can be used safely in integrated pest management programs to control the cabbage aphid. Pirimicarb, spinosad and flonicamid should be tested in semi-field and field situations to assess their toxicity under more realistic conditions.

Maternal activation of gap genes in the hover flyEpisyrphus

The metameric organization of the insect body plan is initiated with the activation of gap genes, a set of transcription-factor-encoding genes that are zygotically expressed in broad and partially overlapping domains along the anteroposterior (AP) axis of the early embryo. The spatial pattern of gap gene expression domains along the AP axis is generally conserved, but the maternal genes that regulate their expression are not. Building on the comprehensive knowledge of maternal gap gene activation in Drosophila, we used loss- and gain-of-function experiments in the hover fly Episyrphus balteatus (Syrphidae) to address the question of how the maternal regulation of gap genes evolved. We find that, in Episyrphus, a highly diverged bicoid ortholog is solely responsible for the AP polarity of the embryo. Episyrphus bicoid represses anterior zygotic expression of caudal and activates the anterior and central gap genes orthodenticle, hunchback and Krüppel. In bicoid-deficient Episyrphus embryos, nanos is insufficient to generate morphological asymmetry along the AP axis. Furthermore, we find that torso transiently regulates anterior repression of caudal and is required for the activation of orthodenticle, whereas all posterior gap gene domains of knirps, giant, hunchback, tailless and huckebein depend on caudal. We conclude that all maternal coordinate genes have altered their specific functions during the radiation of higher flies (Cyclorrhapha).

Effect of stinging nettle habitats on aphidophagous predators and parasitoids in wheat and green pea fields with special attention to the invader Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)

AbstractThe relative occurrence and seasonal abundance of aphids and their natural enemies were visually assessed between May and July 2005–2006 in four types of habitats located in Gembloux (Namur province, Belgium): green pea, wheat and stinging nettle either planted in or naturally growing in woodland adjacent to these crops. Results showed that: (i) Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris, Sitobion avenae F. and Microlophium carnosum Buckton were the most common aphid species, respectively, on green pea, wheat and stinging nettle either in or near field crops; (ii) stinging nettle and field crops shared several important aphidophagous insect species such as the ladybird Coccinella septempunctata L., hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus De Geer and braconid wasp Aphidius ervi Haliday; (iii) the shared beneficial species were typically recorded earlier on stinging nettles than on crops; and (iv) the spatial occurrence of the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pallas was distinctly associated with stinging nettles, particularly in 2005. Stinging nettles and field crops partially coincide in time, enabling the movement of natural enemies among them. These findings suggest that the presence of stinging nettles in landscapes seems to enhance the local density of aphidophagous insect communities necessary for aphid biocontrol in field crops.

Intra‐specific variation affects the structure of the natural enemy assemblage attacking pea aphid colonies

Abstract 1. Intra‐specific variation in plant defence traits has been shown to profoundly affect herbivore community structure. Here we describe two experiments designed to test whether similar effects occur at higher trophic levels, by studying pea aphid–natural enemy interactions in a disused pasture in southern England.2. In the first experiment, the numbers and identity of natural enemies attacking different monoclonal pea aphid colonies were recorded in a series of assays throughout the period of pea aphid activity.3. In the summer assay, there was a significant effect of clone on the numbers of aphidophagous hoverfly larvae and the total number of non‐hoverfly natural enemies recruited. Clone also appeared to influence the attack rate suffered by the primary predator in the system, the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus, by Diplazon laetatorius, an ichneumonid parasitoid. Colonies were generally driven to extinction by hoverfly attack, resulting in the recording of low numbers of parasitoids and entomopathogens, suggesting intense intra‐guild predation.4. To further examine the influence of clonal variation on the recruitment of natural enemies, a second experiment was performed to monitor the temporal dynamics of community development. Colonies were destructively sampled every other day and the numbers of natural enemies attacking aphid colonies were recorded. These data demonstrated that clonal variation influenced the timing, abundance, and identity of natural enemies attacking aphid colonies.5. Taken together, these data suggest that clonal variation may have a significant influence on the patterns of interactions between aphids and their natural enemies, and that such effects are likely to affect our understanding of the ecology and biological control of these insect herbivores.

Hover flies are efficient pollinators of oilseed rape

Understanding the consequences of declining diversity and abundance of pollinators for crops and floral biodiversity is a major challenge for current conservation ecology. However, most studies on this issue focus on bees, while other invertebrate taxa are largely ignored. We investigated the pollination efficiency of the globally abundant hover fly Episyrphus balteatus on the common crop, oilseed rape (Brassica napus). The study was conducted over a period of 2 consecutive years by means of enclosure experiments at an agricultural site located in Central Hesse (Germany). E. balteatus significantly increased both seed set and yield. This effect was very constant in the 2 years, despite considerable interannual differences in total seed numbers and seed mass. It highlights the important role of hover flies as pollinators of arable crops under varying environmental conditions. In contrast to bees, the effect of E. balteatus was lower at high pollinator densities than at low pollinator densities. This suggests adverse effects of density-dependent factors on pollination efficiency at high densities. Thus, models ignoring the modulating effect of biotic interactions by generally assuming a simple positive relationship between pollinator density and pollination efficiency might not apply to a vital component of the pollinator community.