More intraguild prey than pest species in arachnid diets may compromise biological control in apple orchards

• Published in: Basic and applied ecology Vol. 57; pp. 1 - 13
• Main Authors: Hambäck, P.A., Cirtwill, A.R., García, D., Grudzinska-Sterno, M., Miñarro, M., Tasin, M., Yang, X., Samnegård, U.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier GmbH 01.12.2021
• Subjects: apples; applied ecology; Araneidae; arthropods; biological control; diet; digestive system; DNA barcoding; fruits; Gut metabarcoding; Heteroptera; Opiliones; orchards; pest control; pests; Philodromus; predation; Theridiidae; Gut metabarcoding; Opiliones; Theridiidae; Araneidae; Philodromus

Understanding the full diet of natural enemies is necessary for evaluating their role as biocontrol agents, because many enemy species do not only feed on pests but also on other natural enemies. Such intraguild predation can compromise pest control if the consumed enemies are actually better for pe...