TY - JOUR

T1 - Intraguild predation among the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus de Geer (Diptera

T2 - Syrphidae) and other aphidophagous predators

AU - Hindayana, Dadan

AU - Meyhöfer, Rainer

AU - Scholz, Dagmar

AU - Poehling, Hans Michael

N1 - Funding information: This study was supported by grants from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to D. Hindayana and the German Research Foundation (DFG) to R. Meyhöfer. Furthermore, the work was supported by the Institute of Plant Diseases and Plant Protection (University of Hannover, Germany). We also thank W. Weisser (Jena, Germany) and R. Lilley for critically reading the earlier drafts and M. Sétamou for suggestions on the statistics.

PY - 2002/5/25

Y1 - 2002/5/25

N2 - Aphidophagous predators compete for the same prey species. During their foraging activity they frequently encounter heterospecific aphid predators. These situations can lead to intraguild predation and may disrupt biological control efforts against aphids where more than one predator species is present. We investigated the behavior of larvae of the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus de Geer and its interaction with three other aphid predators: the ladybird Coccinella septempunctata L., the lacewing Chrysoperla carnea Stephens, and the gall midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Rondani). Interspecific interactions between predators were examined in arenas of different sizes and in the presence of extra-guild prey. The outcome of interactions between E. balteatus larvae and the other predators depended predominantly on the relative body size of the competitors. Relatively large individuals acted as intraguild predators, while relatively smaller individuals became intraguild prey. Eggs and first- as well as second-instar larvae of E. balteatus were highly susceptible to predation by all other predators, whereas pupae of E. balteatus were preyed upon only by the larvae of C. carnea. Interactions between A. aphidimyza and E. balteatus were asymmetric and always favored the latter. Eggs and first- as well as second-instar larvae of E. balteatus sustained intraguild predation irrespective of the size of the arena or the presence of extraguild prey. However, the frequency of predation on third-instar larvae of E. balteatus was significantly reduced. This study indicated that the same species can be both intraguild predator and intraguild prey. It is suggested that combinations of predators must be carefully chosen for success in biological control of aphids.

AB - Aphidophagous predators compete for the same prey species. During their foraging activity they frequently encounter heterospecific aphid predators. These situations can lead to intraguild predation and may disrupt biological control efforts against aphids where more than one predator species is present. We investigated the behavior of larvae of the hoverfly Episyrphus balteatus de Geer and its interaction with three other aphid predators: the ladybird Coccinella septempunctata L., the lacewing Chrysoperla carnea Stephens, and the gall midge Aphidoletes aphidimyza (Rondani). Interspecific interactions between predators were examined in arenas of different sizes and in the presence of extra-guild prey. The outcome of interactions between E. balteatus larvae and the other predators depended predominantly on the relative body size of the competitors. Relatively large individuals acted as intraguild predators, while relatively smaller individuals became intraguild prey. Eggs and first- as well as second-instar larvae of E. balteatus were highly susceptible to predation by all other predators, whereas pupae of E. balteatus were preyed upon only by the larvae of C. carnea. Interactions between A. aphidimyza and E. balteatus were asymmetric and always favored the latter. Eggs and first- as well as second-instar larvae of E. balteatus sustained intraguild predation irrespective of the size of the arena or the presence of extraguild prey. However, the frequency of predation on third-instar larvae of E. balteatus was significantly reduced. This study indicated that the same species can be both intraguild predator and intraguild prey. It is suggested that combinations of predators must be carefully chosen for success in biological control of aphids.

KW - Aphidophagous predators

KW - Biological control

KW - Extraguild prey

KW - Foraging arena

KW - IG predator

KW - IG prey

KW - Intraguild predation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035075309&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1006/bcon.2000.0895

DO - 10.1006/bcon.2000.0895

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0035075309

VL - 20

SP - 236

EP - 246

JO - Biological control

JF - Biological control

SN - 1049-9644

IS - 3

ER -