Survey of Lady Beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Sweet Corn Using Yellow Sticky Cards

Abstract

Yellow cards coated with adhesive were used to survey for the presence, relative abundance and seasonal patterns of lady beetles in research and commercial fields of processing sweet corn in central and western New York in 1992 and 1993. The lady beetles species recorded, in order of abundance were: Coleomegilla maculata lengi Timberlake, Coccinella septempunctata L., Psyllobora vigintimaculata (Say), Hippodamia parenthesis (Say), Propylea quatuordecimpunctata (L.), Cycloneda munda (Say), Hippodamia glacialis glacialis (F.), Adalia bipunctata (L.), Coccinella trifasciata perplexa Mulsant, and Coccinella transversoguttata richardsoni Brown. Coleomegilla maculata lengi was in sufficient number to reflect seasonal patterns. Coleomegilla maculata lengi populations rapidly increased in early July, peaked in late July or early August and then rapidly declined. The timing of C. maculata lengi peak abundance was more closely related to day-of-year than to stage of crop development based on accumulated degree days from planting. The pattern of capture of C. maculata lengi at incremental distances into the field did not indicate colonization from the field edge.