%0 Journal Article %T Abundance of adult hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) on different flowering plants %J Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences %I University of Guilan %Z 1735-3033 %A Sadeghi, H. %D 2008 %\ 01/01/2008 %V 6 %N 1 %P 47-51 %! Abundance of adult hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) on different flowering plants %K Pollen and nectar resources %K Enhancing biological control %K Flower flies %R %X Encouraging natural enemies by growing attractive plants is considered an effective method of pest control in organic farming. However, it is important to identify which flowers best attract beneficial insects. In this study, relative attractiveness of 16 species of flowering plants to adult hoverflies was assessed by conducting timed observations of feeding-visit frequencies. The experiments were conducted at two sites, at FUM Research Farm and FUM Campus in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. At both sites, there were significant differences between the mean numbers of feeding-visits to selected flowers by hoverflies. At the Research Farm Fennel, Chamomile, Hypericum, Yarrow, Lavender and Bishop's weed had higher visit rates than Marigold, Spider ivy, Sage, Dill and Dwarf Lark Spur. At this site, Fennel followed by Hypericum and Yarrow attracted more hoverflies than other flowers throughout the season. Lavender and Bishop?s weed that were less attractive on early sampling dates received more hoverflies toward the end of the season. At the FUM Campus, Petunia, Chamomile and Cosmos were the most attractive flowers, whereas Ageratum, Yarrow and Coreopsis were of intermediate visit status and Pot marigold was relatively under visited. On the whole, Cosmos, Petunia and Chamomile were visited more frequently than other floral sources, but their attractiveness were not constant throughout the season. On the first two sampling dates, Chamomile was the most preferred flower, but on the last two dates of sampling Cosmos was highly attractive to hoverflies. The hoverflies found in the study sites were: Sphaerophoria scripta (L.), Episyrphus balteatus (DeGeer), Eupeodes corollae (Fab.), Syrphus ribesii (L.), Eupeodes nuba (Wied.), Syrphus vitripennis (Meigen), Paragus bicolor (Fabr.), Sphaerophoria ruppellii (Wied.), Paragus tibialis (Fallen), Eristalis spp., Syritta pipiens. Sphaerophoria scripta, Episyrphus balteatus and Eupeodes corollae , which were the most abundant aphidophagous species.   REFERENCES  Ambrosino, M.D., Luna, J.M., Jepson, P.C. & Wratten, S.D. (2006) Relative frequencies of visits to selected insectary Plants by Predatory Hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae), Other Beneficial Insects and Herbivors. J. Environ. Entomol. 35(2), 394-400. Chambers, R.J., Sunderland, K.D., Stacey, D.L. & Wyatt, I.J. (1985) Control of Cereal aphids in winter wheat by natural enemies: aphid-specific predators, parasitoids and pathogenic fungi. Annals of Applied Biology, 108, 219-231. Chambers, R.J. & Adams, T.H.L. (1986) Quantification of the impact of hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) on cereal aphids in winter wheat: an analysis of field populations. Journal of Applied Ecology, 23, 895-904. Colley, M.R. & Luna, J.M. (2000) The relative attractiveness of potential beneficial insectary plants to aphidophagous hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae). Environ. Entomol. 29, 1054-1059. Gilbert, F.S. (1993) Hover flies. Naturalist’s Handbook No.5. Richmond Pub. Sloughs England. Hickman, J. & Wratten, S.D. (1996) Use of Phacelia tanacetifolia strips to enhance biological control of aphids by hoverfly larvae in cereal fields. J. Econ. Entomol. 89, 832-840. Jervis, M.A., Kidd, N.A.C., Fitton, M.G., Huddleston, T. & Dawah, H.A. (1993) Flower visiting by hymenopteran parasitoids. J. Nat. Hist. 27, 67-106. Kloen, H. & Altieri, M. (1990) Effect of mustard (Brassica hirta) as a non- Crop plant on competition and insect pests in broccoli. Crop Protection, 9, 90-96. Landis, D.A., Wratten, S.D., Gurr, G.M. (2000) Habitat management to conserve natural enemies of arthropod pests in agriculture. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 45, 175-201. Luna, J. Colley, M.R. (2000) Enhancement of biological control with beneficial insectary plantings. Organic Farming Foundation Project Report No. 98-27, 15 p. Lovei, G.L., Hodgeson, D.J., Macloed, A. & Wratten, S.D. (1993) Attractiveness of some novel crops for flower-visiting hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae0: comparisons from two continents. pp. 368-370. In: S. Corey (ed.) Pest control and sustainable agriculture. CSIRO,Canberra, Australia. Marshall E.J. P., Brown, V.K. Boatman, N.D, Lutman, P.J.W., Square, G.R.& Ward, L.K. (2003) The role of weeds in supporting biological diversity within crop fields. European Weed Research Society, Weed Research, 43, 77-89. Sadeghi, H. (2002) Part of Syrphid fauna of Mashhad region and key to the genera. J. of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan University, 9, 119-127 (In Persian). Sadeghi, H., Husseini, A. and Mohammad Abadi, A.A. 2005. The effect of application of 2-4.D & Benoron methyl herbicides on insects: Aphids and aphidophagous syrphid species . J. of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Ferdowsi university of Mashhad, Vol. 20(3), 101-109.  Shtakelberg, A.A. (1988). Family Syrphidae. In: G.Ya. Bei-Bienko (ed.). Keys to the Insects of the European part of the USSR. Vol.V (part II). Smithsonian institution Libraries and The National Science Foundation, Washington DC. Stubbs, A.E. & Falk, S.J. (1996) British Hoverflies: an illustrated Identification Guide.British Museum of Natural History, London.  Verkerk, R. (2001) Farmers’ friends. Recognition and conservation of natural enemies of vegetable pests. Biology Department, Imperial College, Journal of Science, Technology and Medicine, London. White, A.J., Wratten, S.D., Berry, N. A. & Weigmann, U. (1995) Habitat manipulation to enhance biological control of brassica pests by hover flies (Diptera: Syrphidae). J. Econ. Entomol., 88, 1171-1176. %U https://cjes.guilan.ac.ir/article_997_ea5eccf0c2fd2a4fb97302c22583896a.pdf