Diving beetles (Dytiscidae) as predators of mosquito larvae (Culicidae) in field experiments and in laboratory tests of prey preference
- 1 June 2003
- journal article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Bulletin of Entomological Research
- Vol. 93 (3), 219-226
- https://doi.org/10.1079/ber2003237
Abstract
Field experiments were performed in artificial ponds to evaluate how the density of predatory diving beetles (Dytiscidae) would affect the population levels of mosquito larvae (Culicidae). Mosquitoes colonizing the ponds were predominantly species of the genus Culex. In 2000, most of the dytiscids colonizing the ponds were small (Hydroporus spp.), and these predators had no impact on the size of larval mosquito populations, not even in ponds with added dytiscids. In 2001, larger beetles (Ilybius, Rhantus, and Agabus spp.) were more common, and there were significantly fewer mosquito larvae in ponds with the highest numbers of dytiscids. There was a negative correlation between numbers of diving beetles in the ponds and the mean body length of mosquito larvae. In neither year could dytiscid densities be maintained above a certain level owing to emigration. In laboratory tests, there were marked differences between three common dytiscid species in regard to preferences for Daphnia and Culex species as prey: Colymbetes paykulli Erichson chose mosquito larvae more often, whereas both Ilybius ater (De Geer) and I. fuliginosus (Fabricius) preferred Daphnia spp. All of the tested dytiscids consumed large numbers of prey. Since some dytiscid species can efficiently decrease populations of mosquito larvae, they are probably important in the natural control of these dipterans.Keywords
This publication has 19 references indexed in Scilit:
- Biological Control Potential of Three Species of Nymphal Odonates against Polypedilum nubifer (Skuse), a Nuisance Midge (Diptera: Chironomidae)Australian Journal of Entomology, 1996
- Biostatistical AnalysisEcology, 1996
- Practical Statistics for Field Biology.Biometrics, 1991
- The Relationship Between Competition and Morphology. II. Experiments on Co-Occurring Dytiscid BeetlesJournal of Animal Ecology, 1990
- The Relationship Between Competition and Morphology. I. Morphological Patterns Among Co-Occurring Dytiscid BeetlesJournal of Animal Ecology, 1990
- Indirect Effects and Biological Control of Mosquitoes by MosquitofishJournal of Applied Ecology, 1988
- The Ecology of Aquatic InsectsJournal of Animal Ecology, 1985
- Ecological and Biological Studies on Aedes cantans (Meig.) (Diptera: Culicidae) in Southern EnglandJournal of Applied Ecology, 1977
- OBSERVATIONS ON FLYING AND FLIGHTLESS WATER BEETLES.Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology, 1956
- OBSERVATIONS ON THE CAPACITY FOR FLIGHT OF WATER BEETLES.Proceedings of the Royal Entomological Society of London. Series A, General Entomology, 1952