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Predation of lowbush blueberry insect pests by ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the laboratory

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Abstract

Agriculture relies on ecosystem services, such as biological control of pests, for economic success and sustainability. Commercially managed lowbush blueberries are an important crop in eastern North America, but pest control by natural enemies has not been well studied. In this paper we address questions about consumption of two blueberry pests by ground beetles (Carabidae) that are common in blueberry fields. In the first experiment, a Poecilus l. lucublandus, Carabus nemoralis, or Pterostichus mutus beetle was placed with two blueberry spanworm larvae, Itame argillacearia, in a simple (cup only or cup + soil) or more complex (cup + soil + blueberry sprigs) treatment arena. In most cases, probability of spanworm consumption reached 100 % in simple arenas by the end of the experiment (48 h) but was 25–50 % lower in more complex arenas. In a second experiment, a male or female Pterostichus melanarius or Harpalus rufipes beetle was placed in a plastic container with saturated or dry soil into which mature blueberry maggots, Rhagoletis mendax, dropped from blueberries to pupate. Approximately 40–80 and 35 % fewer pupae were recovered when a P. melanarius and H. rufipes beetle was present, respectively, but soil moisture and beetle sex were not significant factors. Our results demonstrate that ground beetles can prey upon important blueberry pests, but suggest that consumption may be influenced by microhabitat structure.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for this research was provided by NSERC (USRA to P.M.), and the Nova Scotia Department of Agriculture in partnership with the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia and the PEI Wild Blueberry Growers’ Association. Additional support was through the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada ACAAF program, in partnership with Agri-Futures Nova Scotia, Conseil pour le développement de l’agriculture du Québec, the New Brunswick Agricultural Council, the PEI Adapt Council, and NL Agri-Adapt Council Inc. We thank Jason Sproule, Krilen Ramanaidu, Amal DeSilva, and several summer students for technical assistance.

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  1. Justin M. Renkema

    Present address: School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, P.O. Box 550, Truro, NS, B2N 5E3, Canada

    Justin M. Renkema, Paul Manning & G. Christopher Cutler

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  1. Justin M. Renkema
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  2. Paul Manning
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Correspondence to Justin M. Renkema.

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Communicated by M. Traugott.

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Renkema, J.M., Manning, P. & Cutler, G.C. Predation of lowbush blueberry insect pests by ground beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the laboratory. J Pest Sci 86, 525–532 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-013-0480-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-013-0480-3

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