Predation and Control Effect of Eupeodes corollae Fabricius (Diptera: Syrphidae) on Leguminous Plant Aphids

Abstract

Eupeodes corollae Fabricius, one of the most common predatory natural enemies of agricultural ecosystems, plays an important role in aphid control, but its ability to prey on and control leguminous plant aphids has not been systematically studied. Our study on the spawning and predation preferences, predatory function responses, searching efficiency, and prevention and control capabilities of E. corollae on Aphis craccivora Koch, Myzus persicae Sulzer, and Megoura japonica Matsumura showed that the spawning and predation preferences of E. corollae were consistent and that it preferred A. craccivora for both spawning and predation. The Holling’s type II response was observed in the second- and third-instar larvae of E. corollae to the three species of aphids. For A. craccivora, M. persicae, and M. japonica, the maximum daily predations (1/Th) of second-instar larvae were 83.33, 166.67, and 47.62, respectively, and those of third-instar larvae were 142.86, 200.00, and 90.91, respectively. For A. craccivora, the aphid population decline rates for the 1:1000 and 1:2000 treatment ratios were close to 100% 12 days after the release of E. corollae; for M. persicae, the aphid population decline rates for the 1:2000, 1:4000, and 1:6000 ratios were 98.80%, 96.46%, and 92.89%, respectively. For M. japonica, the aphid population decline rates for the 1:250, 1:500, and 1:1000 ratios all reached 100%. These results provide good theoretical and application value for the management of aphids and the optimization of the ecological biocontrol service functions of E. corollae.