Heteroptera distribution and diversity within the cereal ecosystem.

Abstract

Heteroptera are one of the many arable insect groups that use the crop during part of their annual life cycle. Within British agriculture Heteroptera are not generally regarded as cereal pests and can even be termed 'beneficial' with respect to their occurrence in the diet of many farmland bird species. Farming practices can make the field a harsh, inhospitable environment for non-target arthropods and this paper details the movement and distribution of Heteroptera within cereal fields during the summer. Possible benefits of integrated control methods for Heteroptera are discussed.