TY -JOUR
AU -Shou-Horng Huang
AU -Po-Yu Lai
AU -I-Hsin Sung
TI -Functional response of female and male rove beetle <i>Paederus</i> (<i>Heteropaederus</i>) <i>fuscipes</i> Curtis (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) preying on nymphs of brown planthopper <i>Nilaparvata lugens</i> (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)
PY -2025
DA -2025-11-11
JO -Taiwania
VL -70
IS -4
SP -733
EP -739
UR -https://taiwania.ntu.edu.tw/abstract/2133
AB -<i>Paederus fuscipes</i> (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) is a potential natural enemy of the brown planthopper <i>Nilaparvata lugens</i> (Hemiptera: Delphacidae) in rice fields. This study evaluated the sex-specific functional responses of <i>P. fuscipes</i> to first-, third-, and fifth-instar nymphs using Rogers’ random predator equation. Logistic regression confirmed a type II functional response across all instars, indicating a decelerating rate of prey consumption with increasing prey density. Females exhibited a higher attack rate on first instars (a = 2.14436 h⁻¹) than males (a = 1.32626 h⁻¹) and a longer handling time on fifth instars (Th = 0.15024 h vs. 0.13574 h). These findings suggest that females may exert stronger predation pressure on early instars, while both sexes contribute to pest suppression across nymphal stages. The study highlights the importance of considering predator sex in the design of integrated pest management programs. Furthermore, results provide insights into optimizing the use of <i>P. fuscipes</i> in conservation- and augmentative-based biological control strategies, potentially enhancing the sustainability and effectiveness of rice pest management.
DO -10.6165/tai.2025.70.733