Effects of Chitin and Contact Insecticide Complexes on Rove Beetles in Commercial Orchards

Abstract

A five-year research project was performed to explore the potential effects of contact insecticide applications on the change of abundance and species richness of predatory rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) in conventionally managed orchards. Twelve blocks of nine orchards were used for this study in Central Europe. High sensitivity atomic force microscopic examination was carried out for chitin structure analyses as well as computer simulation for steric energy calculation between insecticides and chitin. The species richness of rove beetles in orchards was relatively high after insecticide application. Comparing the mean abundance before and after insecticide application, a higher value was observed before spraying with alphacypermethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin, and a lower value was observed in the cases of diflubenzuron, malathion, lufenuron, and phosalone. The species richness was higher only before chlorpyrifos-methyl application. There was a negative correlation between abundance and stability value of chitin-insecticides, persistence time, and soil absorption coefficients. Positive correlation was observed with lipo- and water solubility.

Effects of diflubenzuron on associated insect fauna with Anopheles(Diptera: Culicidae) in laboratory, partial-field, and field conditions in the Central Amazon

“…The proportion of functional trophic groups in the pre and post-application samples suggests less predators and more organisms from other groups (Figure 2). However, previous studies show that predators do not have high sensitivity to diflubenzuron concentrations used to control Diptera, therefore, we cannot support that this reduction was the result of diflubenzuron application in the environment (Balog et al 2011).…”