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Consumption of flea beetles (Phyllotreta, Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) by spiders in field habitats detected by molecular analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 April 2014

Barbara Ekbom ,
Anna-Karin Kuusk ,
Gerard Malsher ,
Sandra Åström  and
Anna Cassel-Lundhagen
Barbara Ekbom*
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Anna-Karin Kuusk
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden Swedish Board of Agriculture, 55182 Jönköping, Sweden
Gerard Malsher
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
Sandra Åström
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden Norwegian Institute for Nature Research – NINA, NO- 7485 Trondheim, Norway
Anna Cassel-Lundhagen
Affiliation:
Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
*
1 Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected]).
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Abstract

Flea beetles, Phyllotreta Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) species, are often found in oilseed rape (OSR), Brassica napus Linnaeus (Brassicaceae). Among predators in the generalist predator complex present in agricultural fields, wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae) are found on the ground and cobweb spiders (Araneae: Theridiidae) build webs in the foliage. We present group-specific primers developed for five flea beetle species within the genus Phyllotreta and study the incidence of predation of flea beetles by these spider groups using DNA-based gut-content analysis. Wolf spiders of the genus Pardosa Koch and the cobweb spider, Phylloneta impressa (Koch), were collected in three winter OSR fields. Flea beetle densities as well as the occurrence of predators and alternative prey were monitored. In total 19.4% of the collected Pardosa tested positive for flea beetle DNA in the polymerase chain reaction analyses, whereas 10% P. impressa were positive. Pardosa were more likely to be positive for flea beetle DNA when Pardosa activity density was low. Phylloneta impressa were more likely to be positive for flea beetle DNA if they were positive for pollen beetle DNA. Implications of these results for conservation biological control and future studies of food webs in OSR are discussed.

Type
Behaviour & Ecology
Information
The Canadian Entomologist , Volume 146 , Issue 6 , December 2014 , pp. 639 - 651
Copyright
© Entomological Society of Canada 2014 

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Footnotes

Subject editor: Keith Summerville

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