Dispersal of Three Species of Coccinellids in Corn Fields

Abstract

Abstract To determine the dispersal of coccinellids in corn fields, two methods were used: sticky traps were placed at different elevations to catch the beetles in flight, and a sucrose solution was sprayed on the upper or lower portions of plants to concentrate beetles. The results show that the distribution on the plants is closely related to the manner of dispersal of the species, the Hippodamia species fly at a greater height than C . maculata , and H . convergens and H . 13-punctata are, respectively, about 15 and 9 times as mobile as C . maculata . The results generally support the idea that entomophagous coccinellids are more nomadic than their phytophagous relatives.