Ground-surface arthropods were captured by barrier pitfall traps over a 15-month period in an old-field habitat adjacent to a cotton field. Members of the Coleoptera, Orthoptera, and Araneae constituted 89% of the 11,496 captures. The most abundant species group was Gryllus sp. (Orthoptera: Gryllidae).The most abundant predator species was Megacephala Carolina L. (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae), present in atypically large numbers. The peak abundance of nymphal Gryllus sp. (July–October) overlapped the peak abundance period (August) of M. Carolina. Feeding experiments indicated M.Carolina adults were active predators on Gryllus sp. nymphs. As a potential biocontrol agent, methods to encourage M. Carolina adults to move each season from old-field habitats into adjacent crop fields should be considered.
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1 October 2011
Ground-Surface Arthropods of an Old-Field Habitat in the Delta of Mississippi, with Emphasis on the Cicindelidae (Coleoptera)
Orrey P. Young
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