Ladybeetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Species Composition and Seasonal Fluctuations in Hazelnut Orchards in the Black Sea Region of Turkey

Abstract

This study was carried out in hazelnut orchards in Samsun, Ordu and Giresun provinces of Turkey. Ladybeetle species were collected by the beating sheet method during the growing season in hazelnut orchards. The species collected were identified and insect bio-diversity parameters (abundance, dominance, Simpson’s index (D), Simpson’s diversity index) were calculated for the three provinces. The results identified 11 Coccinellidae species in the survey area including Adalia bipunctata, A. decempunctata, A. fasciatopunctata, Calvia decemguttata, C. quinquedecimguttata, C. quatuordecimguttata, Coccinella septempunctata, Oenopia conglobate, Propylae quatuordecimpunctata, Subcoccinella vigintiquatuorpunctata and Vibidia duodecinguttata. Coccinella septempunctata (L.), Calvia quatuordecimguttata and Propylae quatuordecimpunctata (L.) were the most common species in the survey area. Also, the presence of Calvia decemguttata, C. quinquedecimguttata and C. quatuordecimguttata was recorded for the first time for Coccinellidae hazelnut orchards of Turkey. When all survey locations were evaluated together, the highest numbers of coccinellids were captured in April and May, after which their population levels sharply declined, but the species were present in the hazelnut orchards until the end of October. According to the Simpson diversity index, Ordu orchards had the highest dominant habitat (0.363), and Samsun orchards had the lowest (0.213). Similarity indexes for Coccinellidae fauna were 0.70 for Samsun and Ordu; 0.64 for Samsun and Giresun; 0.87 for Ordu and Giresun. © 2018 International Society for Horticultural Science. All Rights Reserved.