Seasonal Diversity and Food Preference of Predaceous Coccinellids in Agricultural Ecosystems of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

Predaceous coccinellids (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) constitute one of the most important groups of natural enemies regulating populations of aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, scale insects, and other soft-bodied phytophagous pests in agricultural ecosystems. The present study was undertaken to document the seasonal diversity, relative abundance, and food preference of predaceous coccinellid beetles associated with major crop ecosystems of Jabalpur district, Madhya Pradesh, India, across the three principal cropping seasons — kharif, rabi, and zaid. Field surveys were conducted at weekly intervals in crops including mustard, wheat, chickpea, cotton, okra, and vegetable fields over one complete agricultural year. A total of twelve coccinellid species belonging to nine genera were recorded, dominated by Coccinella septempunctata Linnaeus, Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Fabricius), Menochilus sexmaculatus (Fabricius), Propylea dissecta (Mulsant), Hippodamia variegata (Goeze), and Coccinella transversalis Fabricius. Species richness and abundance were highest during the rabi season, coinciding with peak aphid infestation on mustard and wheat, and lowest during the peak summer (zaid) months. Diversity indices (Shannon–Wiener, Simpson, and evenness) revealed greater community stability during winter months compared with summer. Food preference studies conducted both under field observation and laboratory no-choice/multiple-choice bioassays indicated a strong preference of most coccinellid species for mustard aphid (Lipaphis erysimi) and cotton aphid (Aphis gossypii) over other prey items such as whiteflies and mealybugs, although Cheilomenes sexmaculata exhibited comparatively polyphagous feeding behaviour. The correlation between coccinellid population density and aphid density was highly significant and positive across all crops studied. The findings underscore the ecological significance of coccinellids as biological control agents in the agro-climatic conditions of the Jabalpur region and provide baseline data for conservation biological control programmes and integrated pest management (IPM) strategies in central India.