Assessing the potential role of beetles as bloindicators in South Sinai, Egypt [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Survey studies of the southerngreen stink bug (SGSB), Nezara viridula L. (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) population were conducted for two seasons 200312004 and 2004/2005, at El-Beheira Governorate, on different crops planted only for one season, i.e. bean, water melon, sweet potato, green gram, paprika, potato. okra, sesame and lama, as well as other crops planted in both two seasons i. e. squash, tomato, cotton, maize, sugar beet and peas. The present results indicated that arrangement all of the tested crops according to the number of harbored insects was as follow, okra (511 insects), sugar beet (224 insects), and maize (132 insects). Results showed that the population began to appear or increased when the flowers began to appear. Seasonal Abundance of N. viridula was recorded to establish the number Of adult generations a year. The first peak of N. viridula was observed at June 2003, by 60 insects on summer crops, i. e. squash, bean, tomato, water melon, sweet potato, cowpea, cotton and maize. A distinct peak was recorded on green gram (31 adults) followed by bean (17 adults). The second peak occurred in Angnst (42 insects). wilh die highest numbers of adults on cowpea (16 adults) and sweet potato (10 adults). The third peak appeared in November and December (53 and 68 insects, respectively) with the highest numbers on maize (40 adults) and sweet potato (26 adults). In season 2004-2005, II successive and overlapping field crops were investigated, i.e., squash, paprika, tomato, summer plantation of sugar beet, okra, sesame. cotton. maize. peas, potato and winter plantation of sugar beet. Such peaks were occurred at May (284 adults), June (254 adults) and November (107adults), which may represent three generations of that pest. The number of nymphs was very low in August (35 nymphs).

1