The role of polyphagous predators in limiting the increase of cereal aphids in winter wheat.

Abstract

Natural enemies of cereal aphids include pathogenic fungi, parasites, and predators. The predators may conveniently be divided into stenophagous or aphid-specific species (Coccinellidae and Syrphidae) and polyphagous species (Carabidae, Staphylinidae, Dermaptera, Aveneae, Acari). Of the latter, the Dermaptera and many of the Carabidae are known to feed on cereal aphids (Sunderland 1975; Vickerman and Sunderland 1975; Potts 1977). This paper describes field experiments designed to measure the effect that polyphagous predators (as a group) can have on populations of cereal aphids in winter wheat. The experiments were done in 1978 and 1979 at North Farm, West Sussex and at Rothamsted. The results for 1978 are reported in detail by Edwards, Sunderland and George (1979).