Generalist predators are considered effective biological control agents in many agroecosystems. However, characterizing the behavior of different generalist predator species in realistic field settings is difficult due to challenges associated with directly observing predation events in the field. Here we video recorded woolly apple aphid (Erisoma lanigerum) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) colonies to directly observe the feeding behavior of their generalist predators during the day and night. To observe European earwigs (Forficula auricularia) (Dermaptera: Forficulidae), which are thought to be key woolly apple aphid predators but were not present at our study location, we released earwigs into the study area. Across 1413 h of video recorded over 4 weeks, earwigs made the most attacks on woolly apple aphid colonies, but coccinellid larvae spent more total time attacking because their individual attacks were longer. Antagonistic interactions between predators were rare, and earwigs never antagonized other predators. However, ants commonly antagonized earwigs, and incidence of ant-earwig antagonistic interactions was negatively correlated with earwig-aphid attack rates. Overall, these results suggest that coccinellid larvae and earwigs differ in their feeding behavior in the field, and provide new evidence that ants may hinder aphid biological control by antagonizing earwigs.

中文翻译：

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通过苹果园中的视频观察评估长毛苹果蚜虫多面手捕食者的摄食行为

多面性捕食者被认为是许多农业生态系统中有效的生物控制剂。然而，由于与直接观察野外捕食事件相关的挑战，很难在现实的野外环境中表征不同的通用捕食者物种的行为。在这里，我们通过视频记录了苹果毛蚜（Erisoma lanigerum）（半翅目：蚜科）的群体，以直接观察其全能天敌在白天和夜间的摄食行为。为了观察欧洲蠼螋 (Forficula auricularia) (Dermaptera: Forficulidae)，它们被认为是主要的长毛苹果蚜虫捕食者，但在我们的研究地点并不存在，我们将蠼螋释放到研究区域。在 4 周内录制的 1413 小时视频中，蠼螋对苹果毛蚜虫群的攻击最多，但球虫幼虫的总攻击时间更长，因为它们的单独攻击时间更长。捕食者之间的对抗性相互作用很少见，而且蜈蚣从未对抗其他捕食者。然而，蚂蚁通常会对抗蠼螋，并且蚂蚁 - 蠼螋拮抗相互作用的发生率与蠼螋 - 蚜虫的攻击率呈负相关。总体而言，这些结果表明，球虫幼虫和蠼螋在田间的摄食行为不同，并提供了新的证据，表明蚂蚁可能通过对抗蠼螋来阻碍蚜虫的生物控制。并且蚂蚁-螟拮抗相互作用的发生率与螟-蚜虫的攻击率呈负相关。总体而言，这些结果表明，球虫幼虫和蠼螋在田间的摄食行为不同，并提供了新的证据，表明蚂蚁可能通过对抗蠼螋来阻碍蚜虫的生物控制。并且蚂蚁-螟拮抗相互作用的发生率与螟-蚜虫的攻击率呈负相关。总体而言，这些结果表明，球虫幼虫和蠼螋在田间的摄食行为不同，并提供了新的证据，表明蚂蚁可能通过对抗蠼螋来阻碍蚜虫的生物控制。