Ecology of Predaceous Arthropods in Iowa Soybean Agroecosystems 1

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Abstract
An intensive sampling program was conducted during 1977 and 1978 in central Iowa to determine the faunal composition and seasonal occurrence of the predatory arthropod community in soybeans. Although a complex of more than 80 species was recorded, the majority of predators was infrequently collected. Orius insidiosus (Say), Nabis spp., and Araneida accounted for ca. 90% of the foliage-inhabiting fauna. Carabidae, Staphylinidae, and Formicidae were the most common litter-dwelling predators. Predator densities varied greatly in magnitude between years, but population trends were similar each season. In general, predators were most abundant during soybean podfill stages (R5 and R6). Phenological and density relationships between predatory arthropods and larval green cloverworms, Plathypena scabra (F.), indicated that predators contribute to larval mortality, particularly late in the season. However, predation alone is not sufficient to halt larval outbreaks that occur earlier in the season. Extensive predator surveys in 1978 showed that the faunal composition of predatory arthropod communities throughout Iowa was similar to the complex observed in central Iowa.

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