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Dominant aphidophages from the families Coccinellidae and Syrphidae and their trophic specialization in the agrocenoses of Krasnodar Territory  


Citation :- Dominant aphidophages from the families Coccinellidae and Syrphidae and their trophic specialization in the agrocenoses of Krasnodar Territory. Res. Crop. 27: 603-610
VIKTOR PETRISCHEV, IRINA AGASIEVA, MARIA PETRISHCHEVA AND EKATERINA GOLOBORODKO vipetrischev@mymail.academy
Address : Laboratory of the State Collection of Entomoakariphages and Initial Assessment of Biological Control Agents, Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Federal Research Centre of Biological Plant Protection" 62 Kalinina str., Krasnodar, 350039, Russia
Submitted Date : 23-07-2026
Accepted Date : 25-08-2026

Abstract

Entomophagous insects play a prominent part in regulating the abundance of phytophages and maintaining the stability of agroecosystems. The purpose of the research was to identify the dominant species of aphidophages from the families Coccinellidae and Syrphida and investigate their food preferences and stationary distribution in the agrocenoses of the central and western zones of Krasnodar Territory, Russia. The research was carried out in 2025–2026 at the experimental crop rotation base of the Federal Research Center of Biological Plant Protection (45.047558, 38.875124); at the Kuban educational farm (45.06564020962293, 38.876425914675984), and on the fields of Dinskoy (45.292551, 39.077191), Abinsky (44.86763, 38.284167), and Krymsky Districts (44.998898, 37.898134) on different crops. The collection and counting of entomophages were carried out by standard methods (entomological net sweeping and visual counting), and their species affiliation was determined according to commonly accepted identification guides. As a result, a total of 10 Coccinellidae species were identified. Among these, the dominant aphidophage in field crops was Coccinella septempunctata (75% of total population), while Harmonia axyridis and Adalia bipunctata concentrated mainly on woody and shrubby vegetation. The most numerous of the 12 observed species of hoverflies were Episyrphus balteatus (35%) and Sphaerophoria scripta (20%), whose larvae effectively destroy aphids in pea and rapeseed crops. The presence of flowering plants on the outskirts of fields was found to help attract adult syrphids and promote their biocenotic activity. The results obtained can be used to predict the abundance of phytophages and optimize biological plant protection methods in the region.

Keywords

Agrocenoses biodiversity biological plant protection coccinellids entomophages syrphids 


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