The Role of Natural Enemy Foraging Guilds in Controlling Cereal Aphids in Michigan Wheat

Insect natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) provide important ecosystem services by suppressing populations of insect pests in many agricultural crops. However, the role of natural enemies against cereal aphids in Michigan winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is largely unknown. The objectives of this research were to characterize the natural enemy community in wheat fields and evaluate the role of different natural enemy foraging guilds (foliar-foraging versus ground-dwelling predators) in regulating cereal aphid population growth. We investigated these objectives during the spring and summer of 2012 and 2013 in four winter wheat fields on the Michigan State University campus farm in East Lansing, Michigan. We monitored and measured the impact of natural enemies by experimentally excluding or allowing their access to wheat plants infested with Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) and Sitobion avenae (F.) (Hemiptera: Aphidae). Our results indicate that the natural enemy community in the wheat fields consisted mostly of foliar-foraging and ground-dwelling predators with relatively few parasitoids. In combination, these natural enemy groups were very effective at reducing cereal aphid populations. We also investigated the role of each natural enemy foraging guild (foliar-foraging versus ground-dwelling predators) independently. Overall, our results suggest that, in combination, natural enemies can almost completely halt early-season aphid population increase. Independently, ground-dwelling predators were more effective at suppressing cereal aphid populations than foliar-foraging predators under the conditions we studied. Our results differ from studies in Europe and the US Great Plains where foliar foraging predators and parasitoids are frequently more important cereal aphid natural enemies.     

Do natural enemies really make a difference? Field scale impacts of parasitoid wasps and hoverfly larvae on cereal aphid populations

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Coccinellid immigration to infested host patches influences suppression of Aphis glycines in soybean

Generalist natural enemies may be well adapted to annual crop systems in which pests and natural enemies re-colonize fields each year. In addition, for patchily-distributed pests, a natural enemy must disperse within a crop field to arrive at infested host patches. As they typically have longer generation times than their prey, theory suggests that generalist natural enemies need high immigration rates to and within fields to effectively suppress pest populations. The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, is a pest of an annual crop and is predominantly controlled by coccinellids. To test if rates of coccinellid arrival at aphid-infested patches are crucial for soybean aphid control, we experimentally varied coccinellid immigration to 1 m² soybean patches using selective barriers and measured effects on A. glycines populations. In a year with low ambient aphid pressure, naturally-occurring levels of coccinellid immigration to host patches were sufficient to suppress aphid populations, while decreasing coccinellid immigration rates resulted in large increases in soybean aphid populations within infested patches. Activity of other predators was low in this year, suggesting that most of the differences in aphid population growth were due to changes in coccinellid immigration. Alternatively, in a year in which alate aphids continually colonized plots, aphid suppression was incomplete and increased activity of other predatory taxa contributed to adult coccinellid predation of A. glycines. Our results suggest that in a system in which natural enemy populations cannot track pest populations through reproduction, immigration of natural enemies to infested patches can compensate and result in pest control.     

Assessment of cotton aphids, Aphis gossypii, and their natural enemies on aphid-resistant and aphid-susceptible wheat varieties in a wheat–cotton relay intercropping system

The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Homoptera: Aphididae), is an important cotton pest in northern China, especially in the seedling stage of cotton. After large scale commercial use of transgenic Bt cotton, cotton aphids became one of the most important cotton pests. A 2‐year study was conducted to evaluate the role of four winter wheat varieties that were resistant or susceptible to wheat aphid, Sitobion avenae Fabricius (Homoptera: Aphididae), in conserving arthropod natural enemies and suppressing cotton aphids in a wheat–cotton relay intercropping system in northern China. The results indicated that wheat–cotton intercropping preserved and augmented natural enemies more than a monoculture of cotton. The density of natural enemies in cotton was significantly different among relay‐intercropping fields with different wheat varieties. The highest density of natural enemies and low cotton aphid populations were found in the treatment of cotton in relay intercropped with the wheat variety Lovrin10, which is susceptible to wheat aphid. The lowest density of predators and parasitoids associated with high cotton aphid populations were found with the wheat variety KOK1679, which is resistant to wheat aphid. The results showed that wheat varieties that are susceptible or moderately resistant to wheat aphid might reduce cotton aphids more effectively than an aphid‐resistant variety in the intercropping system by enhancing predators to suppress cotton aphids during the cotton seedling stage.     

转Bt基因棉对非靶标害虫及害虫天敌种群动态的影响

2000～2001年,在湖北棉区系统研究了转Bt基因棉对棉田非靶标害虫及天敌种群动态的影响。试验设三个处理：转Bt化防田（使用化学农药控制害虫）、转Bt自控田（仅依靠田间自然天敌控制害虫）及常规对照棉田（利用综合防治措施控制害虫）。结果表明,在转Bt基因棉田中,除棉蓟马外,其它主要非靶标害虫（主要是刺吸性害虫）的种群发生数量呈明显的上升趋势。2000年棉蚜发生的总计值,化防田和自控田分别比常规对照田增加37.9%和71.4%,2001年则分别增加92.5%和134.9%;2000年朱砂叶螨发生的总计值,化防田和自控田分别比常规对照田增加181.1%和298.3%,2001年则分别增加69.9%和105.0%;转Bt基因棉对于斜纹夜蛾与烟粉虱这两种近几年来对棉花危害有加重趋势的害虫,在大田中没有表现出抗性。天敌的发生种类和数量也都远远高于常规对照棉田,几种主要天敌种群发生的总计值及高峰值都明显高于常规对照棉田。2000年蜘蛛类发生的总计值,化防田和自控田分别比常规对照田增加66.3%和112.1%,2001年则分别增加95.1%和111.7%;2000年龟纹瓢虫发生的总计值,化防田和自控田分别比常规对照田增加140.8%和135.4%,2001年则分别增加67.2%和109.5%;2000年在两块转Bt基因棉田中种群数量较大的大眼蝉长蝽在常规对照棉田的调查过程中没有发现,2001年在对照田中也仅记录到1头。试验表明,充分利用Bt棉田中天敌种类较丰富、种群数量较大的优势而加强生物防治,是湖北棉区转Bt基因棉田综防体系中的一个关键措施。     

Maize Benefits the Predatory Beetle, Propylea japonica (Thunberg), to Provide Potential to Enhance Biological Control for Aphids in Cotton

Background

Biological control provided by natural enemies play an important role in integrated pest management. Generalist insect predators provide an important biological service in the regulation of agricultural insect pests. Our goal is to understand the explicit process of oviposition preference, habitat selection and feeding behavior of predators in farmland ecosystem consisting of multiple crops, which is central to devising and delivering an integrated pest management program.

Methodology

The hypotheses was that maize can serve as habitat for natural enemies and benefits predators to provide potential to enhance biological control for pest insects in cotton. This explicit process of a predatory beetle, Propylea japonica, in agricultural ecosystem composed of cotton and maize were examined by field investigation and stable carbon isotope analysis during 2008–2010.

Principal Finding

Field investigation showed that P. japonica adults will search host plants for high prey abundance before laying eggs, indicating indirectly that P. japonica adults prefer to inhabit maize plants and travel to cotton plants to actively prey on aphids. The δ¹³C values of adult P. japonica in a dietary shift experiment found that individual beetles were shifting from a C₃- to a C₄-based diet of aphids reared on maize or cotton, respectively, and began to reflect the isotope ratio of their new C₄ resources within one week. Approximately 80–100% of the diet of P. japonica adults in maize originated from a C₃-based resource in June, July and August, while approximately 80% of the diet originated from a C₄-based resource in September.

Conclusion/Significance

Results suggest that maize can serve as a habitat or refuge source for the predatory beetle, P. japonica, and benefits predators to provide potential to enhance biological control for insect pests in cotton.     

转RRM2基因棉和其亲本苗蚜种群数量及其优势天敌的动态规律

【目的】转基因作物的大规模种植,可能会对人类健康和生态环境造成影响。因此,商业化种植之前,评价环境安全性十分必要。【方法】以转基因(RRM2)高产棉为实验品种,受体材料中棉所12为对照品种,分别于2013年和2014年连续2年对2种棉田的苗期蚜虫及其几种主要捕食性天敌的田间种群数量进行系统的田间调查,并比较它们在这2种不同棉田间的差异。【结果】与中12相比,转RRM2基因棉苗期无翅蚜的发生数量显著增加,有翅蚜迁入棉田的数量也有所增加,但二者差异不显著;2个棉花品系间棉蚜的几种主要捕食性天敌发生数量也无明显差异。【结论】与亲本材料相比,转高产棉花苗蚜数量显著增加,但其捕食性天敌数量增加不明显。本研究为转RRM2高产基因棉花环境安全评价技术的完善提供了理论依据。     

转Bt基因棉田节肢动物群落营养层及优势功能团的组成与变化

1998年在河北南皮棉区转Bt基因棉棉田和常规棉综防田的生物群落变化的研究表明,与常规棉综防田相比,转Bt基因棉棉田的节肢动物种类增加30.7%,功能团多样性增加66.9%,天敌类和中性节肢动物类的丰富度分别增加97.6%和158.0%,害虫类的丰富度减少45.7%。就功能团的种群数量来看,主要害虫棉铃虫、蚜虫和蓟马种群数量分别减少98.9%、69.0%和72.6%;而次要害虫害蝽、粉虱、叶蝉类昆虫的种群数量分别增加了2.2、3.2和14.8倍,棉花生长中期,转Bt基因棉棉田中的基位物种丰富度大于中位和顶位物种;常规棉田中的差异则更大,出现天敌控制“空缺”。综合分析表明,转Bt基因棉棉田生态系统比常规棉综防田稳定;转Bt基因棉棉田的中性节肢动物和次要害虫在害虫－天敌的营养链中起到了重要的调控作用。     

自然天敌对苗蚜和伏蚜控制作用的定量分析

【目的】为了合理利用自然天敌,定量评价棉田自然天敌对苗蚜和伏蚜的控制作用。【方法】采用接虫罩笼法结合系统调查。【结果】发现苗蚜的主要自然天敌是龟纹瓢虫Propylaea japonica Thunberg和异色瓢虫Harmonia axyridis Pallas,大部分时间能够有效的控制苗蚜种群在防治指标以下,控害指数高达91%;伏蚜主要自然天敌是蜘蛛、草蛉和龟纹瓢虫,由于其种群数量太少,益害比低,对伏蚜控害指数始终低于20%,无法有效的控制伏蚜种群。【结论】结果提示,应根据苗蚜和伏蚜自然天敌控制作用不同,制定合理的保护利用自然天敌的策略。     

Intraguild predation of Orius tristicolor by Geocoris spp. and the paradox of irruptive spider mite dynamics in California cotton

It is paradoxical when a community of several natural enemies fails to control a pest population when it can be shown experimentally that single members of the natural enemy community are effective control agents when tested individually. This is the case for spider mites, Tetranychus spp., in California cotton. Spider mites exhibit irruptive population dynamics despite that fact that experiments have shown that there are at least four predators (Galendromus occidentalis, Frankliniella occidentalis, Orius tristicolor, and Geocoris spp.) that, when tested singly, can suppress mite populations. One possible explanation for the paradox is intraguild predation, wherein one predator consumes another. Here, I evaluate the hypothesis that intraguild predation is a strong interaction among spider mite predators. I report manipulative field experiments, focal observations of freely foraging predators in the field, and population survey data that suggest that the minute pirate bug O. tristicolor, is subject to strong predation by other members of the predator community, and in particular by Geocoris spp. These results, combined with the results of prior work, suggest that pervasive intraguild predation among spider mite predators may explain the pest status of Tetranychus spp. in cotton.     

Biological control of cotton pests in China

Cotton is one of the most economically important crops in China, while insect pest damage is the major restriction factor for cotton production. The strategy of integrated pest management (IPM), in which biological control plays an important role, has been widely applied. Nearly 500 species of natural enemies have been reported in cotton systems in China, but few species have been examined closely. Seventy-six species, belonging to 53 genera, of major arthropod predators and parasitoids of lepidoptera pests, and 46 species, belonging to 29 genera, of natural enemies of sucking pests have been described. In addition, microsporidia, fungi, bacteria and viruses are also important natural enemies of cotton pests. Trichogramma spp., Microplitis mediator, Amblyseius cucumeris, Bacillus thuringiensis and Helicoverpa armigera nuclear polyhedrosis virus (HaNPV) have been mass reared or commercially produced and used in China. IPM strategies for cotton pests comprising of cultural, biological, physical and chemical controls have been developed and implemented in the Yellow River Region (YRR), Changjiang River Region (CRR) and Northwestern Region (NR) of China over the past several decades. In recent years, Bt cotton has been widely planted for selectively combating cotton bollworm, H. armigera, pink bollworm, Pectinophora gossypiella, and other lepidopteran pest species. As a result of reduced insecticide sprays, increased abundance of natural enemies in Bt cotton fields efficiently prevents outbreaks of other pests such as cotton aphids. In contrast, populations of mirid plant bugs have increased dramatically due to a reduction in the number of foliar insecticide applications for control of the bollworms in Bt cotton, and now pose a key problem in cotton production. In response to this new pest issue in cotton production, control strategies including biological control measures are being developed in China.     

Diminishing Returns from Increased Percent Bt Cotton: The Case of Pink Bollworm

Regional suppression of pests by transgenic crops producing insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been reported in several cropping systems, but little is known about the functional relationship between the ultimate pest population density and the pervasiveness of Bt crops. Here we address this issue by analyzing 16 years of field data on pink bollworm (Pectinophora gossypiella) population density and percentage of Bt cotton in the Yangtze River Valley of China. In this region, the percentage of cotton hectares planted with Bt cotton increased from 9% in 2000 to 94% in 2009 and 2010. We find that as the percent Bt cotton increased over the years, the cross-year growth rate of pink bollworm from the last generation of one year to the first generation of the next year decreased. However, as the percent Bt cotton increased, the within-year growth rate of pink bollworm from the first to last generation of the same year increased, with a slope approximately opposite to that of the cross-year rates. As a result, we did not find a statistically significant decline in the annual growth rate of pink bollworm as the percent Bt cotton increased over time. Consistent with the data, our modeling analyses predict that the regional average density of pink bollworm declines as the percent Bt cotton increases, but the higher the percent Bt cotton, the slower the decline in pest density. Specifically, we find that 95% Bt cotton is predicted to cause only 3% more reduction in larval density than 80% Bt cotton. The results here suggest that density dependence can act against the decline in pest density and diminish the net effects of Bt cotton on suppression of pink bollworm in the study region. The findings call for more studies of the interactions between pest density-dependence and Bt crops.     

The role of natural enemy guilds in Aphis glycines suppression

Generalist natural enemy guilds are increasingly recognized as important sources of mortality for invasive agricultural pests. However, the net contribution of different species to pest suppression is conditioned by their biology and interspecific interactions. The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is widely attacked by generalist predators, but the relative impacts of different natural enemy guilds remains poorly understood. Moreover, low levels of A. glycines parasitism suggest that resident parasitoids may be limited through intraguild predation. During 2004 and 2005, we conducted field experiments to test the impact of different guilds of natural enemies on A. glycines. We contrasted aphid abundance on field cages with ambient levels of small predators (primarily Orius insidiosus) and parasitoids (primarily Braconidae), sham cages and open controls exposed to large predators (primarily coccinellids), and cages excluding all natural enemies. We observed strong aphid suppression (86- to 36-fold reduction) in treatments exposed to coccinellids, but only minor reduction due to small predators and parasitoids, with aphids reaching rapidly economic injury levels when coccinellids were excluded. Three species of resident parasitoids were found attacking A. glycines at very low levels (<1% parasitism), with no evidence that intraguild predation by coccinellids attenuated parasitoid impacts. At the plant level, coccinellid impacts resulted in a trophic cascade that restored soybean biomass and yield, whereas small natural enemies provided only minor protection against yield loss. Our results indicate that within the assemblage of A. glycines natural enemies in Michigan, coccinellids are critical to maintain aphids below economic injury levels.     

盐碱旱地转Bt基因抗虫棉田主要害虫及其天敌种群消长动态

【目的】近年来,我国长江流域和黄河流域棉花面积锐减,种植区域向滨海盐碱地或干旱地转移。研究盐碱旱地转基因棉田与非转基因棉田昆虫群落差异,可为盐碱旱地对转基因棉田生物影响和盐碱旱地转基因棉田害虫防治提供理论指导。【方法】在山东东营和河北枣强盐碱干旱地转Bt基因棉田分别设置常规施药田和非施药田,进行了系统的田间昆虫种群消长动态的调查和统计分析。【结果】中轻度盐碱旱地种植转基因棉花对靶标害虫棉铃虫具有较好的控制作用;与非转基因棉花相比,对其他非靶标害虫棉蚜、烟粉虱和盲蝽及自然天敌龟纹瓢虫、草间小黑蛛种群数量无显著影响,草蛉种群数量在转基因棉田低于非转基因棉田;喷施化学农药对棉铃虫幼虫和棉蚜的防治作用较好,对烟粉虱和盲蝽的防治效果年度间和试验点间有差异,对龟纹瓢虫的杀伤力较大,对草间小黑蛛和草蛉未见明显影响。【结论】盐碱旱地对棉田不同的害虫和天敌影响不同,且转基因棉田与非转基因棉田昆虫群落结构与对照棉田无显著差异。     

不同类型棉田捕食性天敌的种群能量动态及其对害虫的控制作用

为充分发挥棉田捕食性天敌的生态调控作用,本文根据田间调查与室内测定的结果,以能量为统一单位,计算出了棉田捕食性瓢虫、蝽类、蜘蛛及所有捕食性天敌类种群的能流参数值,分析和比较了不同播种期、套间作和免耕法对棉田捕食性天敌种群能量获取利用的作用特点,总结出了各类天敌在不同类型棉田对害虫的控制作用规律,评价了它们在棉田生态系统中的作用与地位。     

Biodiversity and biocontrol: emergent impacts of a multi-enemy assemblage on pest suppression and crop yield in an agroecosystem

The suppression of agricultural pests has often been proposed as an important service of natural enemy diversity, but few experiments have tested this assertion. In this study we present empirical evidence that increasing the richness of a particular guild of natural enemies can reduce the density of a widespread group of herbivorous pests and, in turn, increase the yield of an economically important crop. We performed an experiment in large field enclosures where we manipulated the presence/absence of three of the most important natural enemies (the coccinellid beetle Harmonia axyridis, the damsel bug Nabis sp., and the parasitic wasp Aphidius ervi) of pea aphids (Acyrthosiphon pisum) that feed on alfalfa (Medicago sativa). When all three enemy species were together, the population density of the pea aphid was suppressed more than could be predicted from the summed impact of each enemy species alone. As crop yield was negatively related to pea aphid density, there was a concomitant non‐additive increase in the production of alfalfa in enclosures containing the more diverse enemy guild. This trophic cascade appeared to be influenced by an indirect interaction involving a second herbivore inhabiting the system – the cowpea aphid, Aphis craccivora. Data suggest that high relative densities of cowpea aphids inhibited parasitism of pea aphids by the specialist parasitoid, A. ervi. Therefore, when natural enemies were together and densities of cowpea aphids were reduced by generalist predators, parasitism of pea aphids increased. This interaction modification is similar to other types of indirect interactions among enemy species (e.g. predator–predator facilitation) that can enhance the suppression of agricultural pests. Results of our study, and those of others performed in agroecosystems, complement the broader debate over how biodiversity influences ecosystem functioning by specifically focusing on systems that produce goods of immediate relevance to human society.     

转RRM2基因棉田昆虫群落多样性及其时序动态

为了评价新型转基因棉花在长江生态区对棉田生态环境安全性的影响, 2013-2015年作者以新型转RRM2基因棉花(Gossypium hirsutum)为材料, 以其亲本‘中棉所12’为对照, 在安徽省沿江棉区系统研究了转基因棉田昆虫群落、害虫亚群落和天敌亚群落的结构与组成、个体数量、群落特征参数及其季节性动态变化。结果表明: 转RRM2基因棉田的主要类群组成、优势类群与非转基因棉田没有差异, 但在2013年转RRM2基因棉田棉蚜个体数量显著高于非转基因棉田, 叶螨类、棉铃虫和其他鳞翅目的个体数量显著低于非转基因棉田, 在其他年份没有显著差异; 其他类群的个体数量在两类棉田间没有显著差异。在棉田害虫发生量大的年份, 转RRM2基因棉田的昆虫群落个体数量较非转基因棉田增加, 物种丰富度较非转基因棉田减少, 但差异不显著, 而两类棉田年度间均差异显著。转RRM2基因棉田昆虫群落和害虫亚群落的全生育期多样性指数、均匀度指数和优势集中性指数与非转基因棉田没有显著差异; 其天敌亚群落的三个指数在2013年与非转基因棉田差异显著, 其他年份没有显著差异; 两类棉田年度间差异均不显著。转RRM2基因棉田昆虫群落、害虫亚群落和天敌亚群落个体数量、群落特征参数的时序动态与非转基因棉田较一致, 具季节性波动; 在群落个体数量高峰期, 群落多样性指数和均匀度指数处于低谷, 而优势集中性指数则相反; 昆虫群落、害虫亚群落的季节波动明显, 天敌亚群落的季节性变化较平缓。因此, 转RRM2基因棉花对棉田昆虫群落的结构与组成、群落特征参数及其时序动态没有显著影响, 但在气候适宜年份, 转RRM2基因棉田的害虫发生量可能增大。     

转基因抗草甘膦抗虫棉对棉田冠层节肢动物群落的影响

【背景】随着转基因抗虫棉在我国的广泛种植,一种具有抗虫和耐除草剂（草甘膦）的双价棉被培育成功。这种转双价基因棉和转单价基因抗虫棉对棉田节肢动物群落结构的影响可能不同。因此,在该类转双价基因棉花进行环境释放之前,有必要研究其对棉田节肢动物群落的影响,评价其环境安全性。【方法】试验于2010年5月9日~9月23日和2011年5月10日~9月24日在河南省安阳市中国农业科学院棉花研究所试验农场进行,棉田类型有3种——转基因抗草甘膦抗虫棉田、转Bt棉田和常规棉田,每种棉田种植3个小区,每个小区面积为200 m2（8 m×25 m）。采用对角线5点取样方法,每5 d调查1次棉田的节肢动物群落,通过目测对节肢动物鉴定到属。【结果】抗草甘膦抗虫棉田、Bt棉田和常规棉田节肢动物群落、害虫亚群落和天敌亚群落的结构与组成无明显差异;抗草甘膦抗虫棉田害虫种群数量低于抗虫棉田和常规棉田,而其天敌种群数量与常规棉田相当,略低于Bt棉田;3种棉田节肢动物群落、害虫亚群落和天敌亚群落的多样性指数、均匀性指数均无明显差异。【结论与意义】种植转基因抗草甘膦抗虫棉花不会对棉田节肢动物群落组成造成显著影响。本研究为转基因抗草甘膦抗虫棉田的环境安全性评价提供了依据。     

湖北棉区转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫的控制作用

2000-2001年通过田间系统调查,表明转Bt基因棉（品种为GK19）在湖北江汉平原棉区对棉铃虫抗性稳定。试验设3个处理：转Bt基因棉化防田（使用化学农药控制害虫）、转Bt基因棉自控田（依靠天敌控制害虫）及常规棉对照田（利用综合防治措施控制害虫）。从棉铃虫的第2代到第5代整个发生期内,即使在不进行化学防治的情况下,棉铃虫在Bt棉田的发生量也保持在极低的水平(最高百株虫量为12头)。室内饲养结果表明,转Bt基因棉对棉铃虫的生长发育（幼虫体重、蛹重）有较为明显的影响,使6龄幼虫体重减少25.6%,蛹重减少18.2%。棉铃虫幼虫取食转Bt基因棉组织后,发育迟缓,相对于常规棉喂养的整个发育历期延长17 d,使棉铃虫在田间的危害减少至少一个世代。另外,接虫试验表明,棉铃虫幼虫在常规棉上的取食时间是转Bt基因棉株上的6.1倍,极大地减轻了棉铃虫的危害程度。     

Aphid suppression by natural enemies in mulched cereals

Large populations of natural enemies are the basis for natural pest control. Effects of mulch on predator–prey interactions in arable fields are poorly known, despite its potential to enhance ground‐dwelling predators and thereby reduce pest infestations. We studied the densities of predators and parasitoids, and their impact on cereal aphids in the presence and absence of mulch. Released populations of the bird cherry aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Homoptera: Aphididae), and two naturally occurring aphid species, were monitored under experimentally reduced densities of: (i) ground‐dwelling predators, (ii) flying predators and parasitoids, and (iii) with straw mulch. The three treatments were applied in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design in a field of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The exclusion of ground‐dwelling predators increased aphid populations by 55% in June and 40% in July, respectively. Mulched plots had 25% lower aphid densities in June. This was presumably due to enhanced densities of spiders (Araneida) in mulched plots. The exclusion of flying predators and parasitoids led to 94% higher aphid populations in late July (109 vs. 56 individuals per 100 shoots), irrespective of mulch or ground predator manipulation. This was attributed to the larvae of gall midges Aphidoletes cf. aphidimyza (Rondani) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) and hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae). The results indicate that a scarcity of predators and a bare soil surface renders crops more susceptible to arthropod pests. Farming schemes should aim at enhancing both ground‐dwelling and flying predators for elevated levels of natural pest control.