Poecilus Cupreus Research Articles

Effects of three pesticides on Poecilus cupreus (coleoptera: carabidae) at different post‐treatment temperatures

AbstractThe influence of post‐treatment temperatures of 5, 10, 17 5, and 25°C on the efficacy of three pesticides, Karate (10 g a i/ha lambda cyhalothnn), Sumicidin 10 (30 g a i/ha fenvalerate), and Afugan (294 g a i/ha pyrazophos), applied to Poecilus cupreus (Coleoptera Carabidae) was investigated in the laboratory The results indicate a negative correlation between the temperature and the effects of all three products With the two pyrethroids Karate and Sumicidin, the recovery period of knocked down beetles and their food consumption showed this negative temperature correlation The reason seems to be a temporarily arrested detoxification of the pyrethroids inside the beetles at reduced temperatures Final mortality seven weeks after application of pyrethroids was unaffected by temperature With the organophosphorus compound pyrazophos final mortality was negatively correlated with temperature Male beetles seemed to be more sensitive than females with all products and temperatures

Verwendung chemisch konservierter Nahrung zur Laborzucht der Laufkäfer-Art Poecilus cupreus (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Verwendung chemisch konservierter Nahrung zur Laborzucht der Laufkäfer-Art Poecilus cupreus (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Augmentation of beneficial arthropods by strip-management : 4. Surface activity, movements and activity density of abundant carabid beetles in a cereal field.

The effect of strip-management on surface activity, movements and activity density of abundant carabid beetles during two vegetation periods in a cereal field was investigated using mark-recapture techniques. Significantly higher recapture rates, indicating higher activity, were found in the strip-managed area than in the control area, especially in Poecilus cupreus and also in Carabus granulatus and Pterostichus melanarius. Several observations led to the conclusion that this higher activity is generally due to a prolongation of the reproductive period in the strip-managed area. Significantly higher activity densities were found for P. cupreus, Pterostichus anthracinus, C. granulatus and Pt. melanarius in the strip-managed area than in a bordering control area. P. cupreus is greatly attracted to the strips during its migrations, as can be deduced from the high percentage of movements that contact the strips. Also, significantly more marked individuals moved from the control to the strip-managed area than vice versa. Pt. melanarius and Pt. anthracinus show less preference for the strips in their movements than P. cupreus. However, significantly more individuals of Pt. melanarius also moved from the control to the strip-managed area. C. granulatus, on the other hand, kept mainly to the cereal areas. After harvest only Pterostichus niger and Harpalus rufipes distinctly preferred the strips. The generally marked degree of attraction exercised by strip-management on carabid beetles is discussed.

Grassy field margins and arthropod diversity: a case study on ground beetles and spiders in eastern Austria (Coleoptera: Carabidae; Arachnida: Aranei, Opiliones)

In 1983, the species composition and diversity of carabids, spiders and harvestmen was investigated by pitfall traps in a grassy field margin and in an adjacent, biologically farmed wheat field at Obere Lobau, Vienna, Austria. The carabid fauna of both habitats was diverse; it showed a high degree of similarity, the abundant species in both habitats being represented by typical field species. Only Metophonus spp. predominantly lived in the margin. Numerous species of different habitat origin occurred in the margin at low abundances indicating transitional stay rather than permanent populations. In contrast, the spider fauna showed a low degree of similarity, with few agrobiotic species strongly dominating field fauna. In the field margin, a rich spider fauna containing rare elements indicates the general importance of grassy margins for nature conservation. The apparently low faunal exchange of spiders between the two habitat types is discussed. Harvestmen occurred mainly in the field margin; only two thermophilic species invaded the field. Seasonal fluctuations in the trapping numbers of Bembidion lampros, Platynus dorsalis and Brachinus explodens are interpreted as indicating migrations between field margin and field. Poecilus cupreus and certain other field species, however, apparently spend their entire life cycle in the field. The possible function of field margins for restoration of carabid losses due to impacts of intensive cultivation is discussed. It is concluded that both grassy field margins and sustainable farming methods, in particular biological farming, are necessary to maintain a diverse predatory arthropod fauna in agroecosystems.

Carabid beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) as bioindicators in biological and conventional farming in Austrian potato fields

Carabid beetles were sampled in 1980 and 1981 by pitfall trapping in two biologically and two conventionally farmed potato fields in B. Zell, Upper Austria. The cultivation differences consisted mainly of a herbicide application to one conventional field in 1980 and higher fertilization levels in both conventional fields in both years. The total carabid catch was 7428 beetles, representing 48 species. In both years the numbers of total carabids and numbers of species were higher in the biologically farmed fields. Of 16 dominant species (representing 96% of all carabids) only 5 (e.g., Platynus dorsalis, Poecilus cupreus) showed similar activity densities under both types of cultivation. Five species (e.g., Carabus spp., Amara consularis, Harpalus rufipes) were frequent only in one field. Pterostichus melanarius was the only species more numerous in the conventional fields, whereas five species occurred either more frequently or exclusively in the biological fields. Of these five species, Poecilus versicolor, Dyschirius globosus, Calathus fuscipes and, only regionally, Harpalus aeneus are considered to be bioindicators for biologically farmed agroecosystems. The frequencies of Amara consularis and Harpalus rufipes are apparently related to weed vegetation.

Carabid beetle communities (Carabidae, coleoptera) in biologically and conventionally farmed agroecosystems

The carabid beetle fauna of agroecosystems was monitored at the Obere Lobau in Vienna. In summer 1982, 3 fields of winter wheat (2 biologically farmed, 1 conventionally) were investigated, in summer 1983, 2 fields of winter wheat (1 biological, 1 conventional) and 2 fields of sugar beet (1 conventional, 1 conventional without herbicides). All fields were comparable in location, size and soil type. Cultivation differed with respect to weed control (mechanical or herbicides), disease control (none or fungicides) and manuring (green/compost/stonemeal or mineral). The following results are based on 12 335 individuals of 79 carabid species caught in pitfall traps. In both years, abundances were considerably higher in biological winter wheat than in conventional wheat. Abundances in sugar beet were at a similar level as in conventional winter wheat in 1983, both being rather low. Species numbers were greater in biologically grown fields. Species composition was similar in all investigated habitats, Poecilus cupreus being most abundant. Carabid communities of biological winter wheat were characterized by Brachinus explodens and certain species of Amara and Harpalus, mostly facultative phytophagous, which reached higher population densities in biological fields only. These differences in carabid agrocoenoses seem to be mainly due to the higher weediness, greater heterogeneity of crop density and absence of pesticides in biological wheat fields.

Digestion rate in relation to starvation in the larva of a carabid predator, Poecilus cupreus

AbstractPrey antigen levels were determined by a quantitative enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay in larvae of a carabid predator, Poecilus cupreus L. under laboratory conditions. We determined prey consumption and rate of prey protein decay in larvae having starved for different periods. Prey consumption increased exponentially over 7 days of starvation. The rate of prey immunoreactive material decay seemed to be logarithmic, similar in larvae which had starved for different periods. Most of the digestion took place in the first 3 days period after feeding, irrespective of the amounts ingested. The rate of decay increased with increasing period of starvation. There were also signs of food retention in the alimentary canal in larvae which starved longer.ZusammenfassungVerdauungsgeschwindigkeit in Abhängigkeit vom Hungern bei der Larve einer räuberischen Carabide, Poecilus cupreusMit eine quantitativen enzymabhängigen Immunoabsorptionstest wurde immunoreaktives Material aus Beutetieren als Eiweissgehalt (IRM/P) in Larven eines polyphagen räuberischen Carabiden, Poecilus cupreus, bestimmt. Wir bestimmten den Beuteverzehr und die Geschwindigkeit des IRM/P Abbaus bei Larven, die während verschiedener Zeit gehungert hatten. Der Beuteverzehr nahm exponentiell zu über 7 Tage Hunger. Die Geschwindigkeit des Beute‐ IRM/P Abbaus schien logarithmisch. Die Beuteaufnahme nahm fast zwanzigfach zu über 7 Tage Hunger von 2.7 ng auf 50.2 ng IRM/P/10 Mikroliter Larvenextrakt. Der grösste Teil der Verdauung erfolgte am zweiten bis dritten Tag nach der Nahrungsaufnahme, unabhängig von der verdauten Menge. Das Niveau 4 Tage nach der Fütterung zeigte, dass Larven, die vorgängig 7 Tage gehungert hatten, 5.0 ng IRM/P/ 10 Microliter Extrakt zurückhielten; dies war mehr als die Aufnahmemenge nichthungernder Larven. Die Verdauungsgeschwindigkeit nahm zu mit der Dauer des Hungerns, doch wurde auch mehr Beute im Nahrungskanal zurückgehalten.