Exotic predators are not better biocontrol agents: the harlequin ladybird is not the most voracious in Mexico

PeerJ

article

Morelia Camacho-Cervantes¹  Wendy Mendoza-Arroyo²  Daniela Arellano-Sánchez³  Ek del-Val² 

[1] Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México;Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México;Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Unidad Morelia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

关键词: Biocontrol;    Invasive species;    Pest control;    Aphid;    Cycloneda sanguinea;    Hippodamia convergens;    Paranaemia vittigera;    Agriculture;    Competition;    Harmonia axydiris;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.12503

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

The use of exotic species for pest biocontrol has been a common pathway for introduction and dispersal of invasive species that may have undesired outcomes. Biocontrol agents are believed to be a less damaging alternative than pesticides, but some species may also prey on or parasitize native species or outcompete them for resources. The harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) is a well-known biocontrol agent originally from Asia that has established invasive populations in 59 countries around the globe. Harlequin ladybirds are generalist predators that in addition to pests prey on an array of different species including other coccinelids’ eggs and larvae. In Mexico, native ladybirds that share ecological requirements with harlequin ladybirds are at risk of being outcompeted and predated upon. The aim of our study was to compare the foraging efficiency of harlequin ladybirds against three species of native coccinelids when preying on aphids. We investigated the foraging behaviour of ladybirds alone and in pairs with a conspecific, a native heterospecific or an exotic heterospecific. We found that the native Cycloneda sanguinea was the species that consumed the most aphids, while Hippodamia convergens was the fastest to find and consume each aphid. Harlequin ladybirds and H. convergens consumed the same number of aphids while P. vittigera consumed less. Conspecific competition was stronger than heterospecific competition. We discuss the suitability of using the exotic invasive harlequin ladybird for aphid biocontrol in comparison with native coccinelids.

【 授权许可】

CC BY