O.V. Abashkin,
Yu.A.Masyuk,
OA Starovojtova,
YP Boiko,
V.N. Zeyruk,
N.N. Gordienko,
ZNMorzhenkov,
D.V.Abrosimov,
Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "All-Russian Scientific Research Institute of Potato Economy named after A.G. Lorch
AT GUARD HARVEST
Ladybugs (lat. Coccinellidae) are a family of beetles of the order Coleoptera that live almost all over the world, with the exception of Antarctica and zones with permafrost. Openly living mobile insects are widely known among the people. About 100 species of this family live on the territory of Russia.
The average length of an insect is from 3 to 10 mm. The shape of the body is oval or round, convex or hemispherical from above, flat from below. Pronotum and elytra have a common uniform convexity. Beetles are usually brightly colored, with specks on the elytra.
In our country, there are three types of herbivorous (herbivorous) cows, among them are several agricultural pests. In the Far East, the 28-point potato ladybird (Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata Motsch) causes serious harm to the plantings of potatoes, cucumbers and other vegetable crops. In southern regions, the alfalfa ladybird (Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata L.) occasionally damages alfalfa and sugar beet crops. In the Smolensk, Saratov and other regions of central Russia and southern Russia, the waterless ladybird (Cynegetis impunctata L.) occasionally damages alfalfa, clover and sweet clover.
All other Russian species of ladybugs are predators. Beetles and larvae are very voracious, they destroy in large quantities such dangerous pests as aphids, leaf flies, scale insects, scale insects and ticks.
Female ladybirds lay eggs near aphid colonies or the habitat of other arthropod species that they feed on, singly or in clutches of 10-15 eggs each. Often they are confused with the egg-laying of the Colorado potato beetle, but the eggs of ladybirds are yellow, not orange, and much smaller. The larvae have four ages. Several generations develop during the year. Adult beetles hibernate, using various shelters, sometimes going to hibernate in one place in large masses (aggregations), where they can be collected during periods of diapause, kept in containers until spring, and released into pests' habitats.
Ladybugs are very useful as bioregulators of the number of pests and are actively used in the system of bioecological control. Some species, such as Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Muls. And Rodolia cardinalis Muls., Are successfully reproduced in the laboratory and introduced into nature to limit the number of pests.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC SPECIES
Ladybug is eye-catching
(Anat ooellata L.)
Body length: from 8 to 9 mm. An elytral seam at the top with a notch covered with thick hairs. The shield is large, clearly visible. Elytra with 20 black spots with light rims. In some individuals, spots are partially fused, or in smaller quantities. Distribution: wide throughout the European part of Russia, in the Crimea, Siberia and the Far East. It feeds mainly on aphids.
GIRLBIRD TWO-POINT (Adalia bipunctata L.)
Body length: 4 to 5 mm. Pronotum with a light, often yellow border on the sides, sometimes light with a pattern of black dots. In some individuals, an M-shaped spot is located on the pronotum. The elytra pattern is very variable. The body below is black. Distributed everywhere, except for areas of the Far North.
GOD'S Bug VARIABLE
(Adonis colors L.)
Body length: 3-6 mm. The larva has an elongated body. The back is black, on which there are two yellow spots. In adults, amber-red elytra, on which there are six spots of irregular shape. Distributed everywhere. Females lay bright yellow eggs on plants in groups (egg-laying). Entomophage gives three generations per year. One individual eats up to 20 eggs of the Colorado potato beetle per day, actively eats cabbage aphids.
FIVE-POINT GOD'S GIRL
(Coccinella quinquepunctata L.)
Body length: 3 to 5 mm. Elytra with two black rounded spots each and with one common spot near the scutellum. The distribution is wide, throughout the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, Central Asia, Siberia and the Far East. It feeds mainly on aphids.
GOD'S BUM SEVEN
(Coccinella septempunctata L.)
The most famous type of ladybugs. Body length: 5 to 8 mm. The elytra of the scutellum are whitish with six black spots and one common under-shield spot. Distributed everywhere. It feeds mainly on aphids, larvae and adults (adults) eat eggs and larvae of younger ages of the Colorado potato beetle.
GOD'S BAD THIRTEEN
(Hyperaspidius tredecimpunctata L.)
Body length: 4 to 7 mm. Elytra yellow. On the lateral margins of the pronotum there is a wide bright border with a pronounced black dot. Not found in the deserts of Central Asia and the Caucasus. It lives on plants near water bodies. It feeds mainly on aphids.
GOD'S AMAZING AMAZING
(Ithone mirabilis Motsch.)
Body length: from 4 to 6 mm. Distributed in the Far East. It feeds mainly on aphids. FIFTEEN-FIFTEEN GOD'S BAD (Coccinella quatuorddecimpustulata L.)
Body length: 3 to 4 mm. Barrels are light. Elytra with 14 yellow spots, the posterior spot is isolated and has a kidney shape. Distribution is wide, throughout the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, Siberia and the Far East. It feeds mainly on aphids.
GOD'S BAD FOUR-FOUR-POINT
(Propylaea quatuordecimpunctata L.)
The species of the same name, but different in morphological characteristics. Body length: 3 to 5 mm. Widely distributed from the tundra to the forest-steppe zone.
There is a triangular notch at the anterior margin of the mesothorax. Elytra with black seam. The pattern of the pronotum and elytra is variable. It feeds mainly on aphids, can eat thrips. This type of ladybugs is able to reproduce independently for a long time in greenhouses. Females lay eggs on plants. Development optimum: temperature + 24 ... + 25оC, relative humidity 70-85%. The larvae develop in 7-8 days. With the deterioration of environmental conditions, the development of the larvae is delayed. Females live on average 65 days and lays from 270 to 360 eggs during this time. In practice, this ladybug is used against melons and greenhouse aphids at the stage of entomophage larvae of the first and second instars in a predator-prey ratio of 1: 10. The best results were obtained with multiple release of larvae with an interval of one week. Females of the predator have high search capabilities and find aphids even with minimal distribution.
Cryptolaemus montrouziera (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri Mulsant.)
The body length of an adult insect: from 3 to 4 mm, the larvae can reach 13 mm, covered with a waxy substance that makes them look like their prey - mealybugs. Natural area of distribution: Eastern Australia.
The species was introduced (introduced and acclimatized) to many countries of the world, including the USSR (RF). Common food: eggs, nymphs and adult coccids, pads and mealybugs on ornamental and vegetable plants. One cryptolemus larva can eat / damage from 4 to 7 thousand eggs, 200-300 larvae or 40-60 adult worms per day. At temperatures above +33оWith the activity of cryptolemus drops sharply, at temperatures below +9оWith they completely lose activity (temperature optimum: + 22 ... + 25оC, relative humidity 70-80%). The female lays up to 1100 eggs. The full development cycle, depending on temperature conditions, lasts 25-72 days. Beetles live from 3 to 7 months. They are most active on clear sunny days, in greenhouses - in bright light. On average, two individuals per 1 m are released into the foci of the pest of cryptolemus2 with an interval of two weeks, with a high density of the pest, the rate of release is increased by 5-10 times.
LEIS DIMIDIATA (Leis dimidiata Fabr.)
Body length: more than 10 mm. Natural area of distribution: Southeast Asia. The species has been introduced (introduced and acclimatized) to many countries of the world, including the USSR (RF). The female lays from 30 to 40 eggs per day, about 2000 eggs in total. Development optimum: temperature + 20 ... + 25оC. Sex ratio: 1: 1. When feeding on peach aphids in laboratory conditions, depending on temperature, the duration of egg development: 3-5 days, larvae - 14-22 days, pupae - 5-8 days, preimaginal period - 22-35 days, adult insects live 4-6 months. Beetles and larvae feed on many species of aphids, including melons and gourds, as well as butterfly eggs (Lepidoptera). Entomophage larvae of the first and second instars are released into the centers of pests. On pepper against aphids in a ratio of 1:40, on flowers - 1: 200.
CYCLONEDA LIMBIFER
(Cycloneda limbifer Cassey.)
Body length: more than 10 mm. Natural area of distribution: tropical zone. The species has been introduced to many countries of the world, including the USSR (RF). It actively eats aphids. For biological protection against aphids, cyclone-eaters are propagated in greenhouses, where they are able to reproduce independently. On sweet pepper, Cycloneda eats almost all aphids on it. During its life, one larva eats up to 270, and an adult beetle - over 1300 individuals of melon or peach aphid. The first instar cyclone larvae are able to eat each other (cannibalism). For eggplants, cucumbers and peppers, the cyclone is released in a predator-prey ratio from 1: 5 to 1:25. With the number of aphids from 500 or more, the release of cryptolemus larvae should be increased by 5-10 times.
In 2018, employees of the Federal State Budget Scientific Institution of All-Russian Research Institute of Cultural Sciences named after A. GLorha conducted a study to study the role of ladybugs in limiting the number of Colorado potato beetles, observation was carried out in experimental sites of the institute.
Potato varieties in order of increasing beetle numbers: Moon, Vector, Pennant, Irbit, Meteor, Nakra, Rocco, Lyubava, Snow White, Scarb, Nikulinsky, Bora, Luck, Aurora, Belar, Kiwi, Nevsky, Zhukovsky early, Handsome, Gala , Blue, Fortress, Lorch.
The average population of the Colorado potato beetle did not reach four points, that is, the pest did not threaten the vital activity and tuberization of potatoes.
The ratio of the number of ladybugs and the Colorado potato beetle to the cardinal points was analyzed (table 2).
The largest number of Colorado potato beetles was recorded from the southern and eastern sides of the potato planting, where the highest number of ladybugs was noted. Least of all were in the central part of the landing.
The most attractive for the 1st generation Colorado potato beetle was Lyubava, Lorh, Belar and Snow White. Ladybugs preferred varieties Belar, Golubizna, Kiwi. And the highest activity of ladybugs was noted on the varieties Blue, Vector, Kiwi, Belar and Rocco.
Dynamic equilibrium predator - prey (SHJ - 1.00) was observed on the Aurora, Bera, Vympel, Irbit, Meteor, Nakra, Nevsky, RS, Skarb and Udacha.
The lowest activity of ladybirds was noted on varieties - Lorkh, Gala, Snow White, Luna, Lyubava.
One of the conclusions that was made based on the results of the study: in order to completely suppress the population of the Colorado potato beetle, the larvae of ladybugs should be released into nature (introduced) in late May - early June in the amount of 40-50 individuals per bush.
In 2019, the number of ladybugs on the potato field sharply decreased, which provoked the appearance of the Colorado potato beetle with a population exceeding the economic threshold for population density, which caused chemical treatment against the beetle on the field.