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Population ecology of Heteronyx piceus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in a peanut/maize cropping system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

A.L. Ward  and
D.J. Rogers
A.L. Ward
Affiliation:
Farming Systems Institute, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 23, Kingaroy, Queensland 4610, Australia
D.J. Rogers*
Affiliation:
Farming Systems Institute, Department of Primary Industries, 80 Meiers Rd, Indooroopilly, Queensland 4067, Australia
*
*BeckerUnderwood Australia, RMB 1084, Pacific Highway, Somersby, New South Wales 2250, Australia Fax: +61 2 4340 2243 E-mail: andrew.ward@beckerunderwood.com
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Abstract

Large larval populations of the scarabaeid beetle Heteronyx piceus Blanchard that occur under peanuts, but not maize, in the South Burnett region of Australia are the result of a high rate and prolonged period of egg production by females feeding on peanut foliage. Heteronyx piceus is a relatively sedentary species and movement of females between adjacent fields is low. Populations of H. piceus varied markedly with landscape position. High larval populations are more likely (1 in 4 chance) to be encountered on the ‘scrub’ soils in the upper parts of the landscape than in the ‘forest’ soils in the lower half (1 in 20 chance), indicating that soil type/landscape position is a key risk factor in assessing the need for management intervention. The studies indicate that, because of the species' sedentary nature, the most meaningful population entity for management of H. piceus is the individual field, rather than the whole-farm or the region. The implications of this population ecology for management of the pest are discussed in relation to control strategies.

Keywords

Heteronyx piceuspeanutsoil typelandscape positionAustraliapest management
Type
Review Article
Information
Bulletin of Entomological Research , Volume 96 , Issue 2 , April 2006 , pp. 129 - 136
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

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