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Abstract Objectives: Effect of neglected (weed) and non-neglected (free-weed) fields on population abundance of A. craccivora and its insect predator guilds, Effect of flowering plant margins on phenology and community composition of A. craccivora predators, Influence of aphid species on consumption rate and reproduction of C. undecimpunctata female, Searching abilities of certain ladybeetles to their prey, A. craccivora and Influence of aphid species on behavioural responses of female C. undecimpunctata.Methods&Results: These experiments were carried out to study the effect of crop species on population abundance of A. craccivora and its associated predators during two successive growing seasons for each leguminous crop. The faba bean, Vicia faba L. cultivar Sakha 1 was cultivated in the first of November for both seasons (2012-2013 and 2013-2014), whereas the cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) cultivar Kaha-1 was sown in the first of May in both growing seasons, 2013 and 2014 at Sidi-Salem district, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate. The cultivated area for each crop was 600 m2 which divided to four equal replicates.), the population of Aphid and its predators showed higher population in weedy faba bean fields in both seasons of study than weed-free fields, chrysoperla carnea and Scymnus syriacus together contributed with the highest fate of community structure in both crops regardless their structure, C. undecimpunctata exhibited the higher attach rate and lower handling time on A. craccivora. The lower handling time Conclusion: Weeds are not only a suitable refuge for natural enemies of the cowpea aphid, but also a suitable habitat for aphids’ aggregation themselves, chrysoperla carnea and Scymnus syriacus together contributed with the highest fate of community structure in both crops regardless their structure, C. undecimpunctata exhibited the higher attach rate and lower handling time on A. craccivora. The lower handling time, In the future releases for this predator under field conditions, a density of 50 aphids seems to be the daily optimum consumption of C. undecimpunctata females for maximizing their reproduction and the ratio of 1 predator: 50 preys must be taken in account. |