Community science data suggests that urbanization and forest habitat loss threaten aphidophagous native lady beetles.

ABSTRACT: Community scientists have illustrated rapid declines of several aphidophagous lady beetle (Coccinellidae) species. These declines coincide with the establishment of alien coccinellids. We established the Buckeye Lady Beetle Blitz program to measure the seasonal occupancy of coccinellids within gardens across a wide range of landscape contexts. Following the Habitat Compression Hypothesis, we predicted that gardens within agricultural landscapes would be alien-dominated, whereas captures of natives would be higher within landscapes encompassing a high concentration of natural habitat.Within the state of Ohio, USA, community scientists collected lady beetles for a 7-day period across 4 years in June and August using yellow sticky card traps. All identifications were verified by professional

SUBMITTER: Gardiner MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7981222 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature