The influence of yellow lupin intercropped with spring triticale on predatory carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

Intercropping may have a positive effect on the abundance and activity of carabid beetles and therefore their response to intercropping yellow lupin with spring triticale was studied for a period of three years (2001-2003). Carabids were most numerous in yellow lupin monoculture and in the intercrop with the highest proportion of lupin. Important differences between the experimental treatments were found, but they were mostly non-significant because of the great variation between samples. It is supposed that the positive effect Of lupin oil carabid beetles was due to the shelter it provides. During the three-year study 59 species of carabid beetles were recorded. The most abundant species in each treatment was Pseudoophonus rufipes. Irrespective of the experimental treatment, this species was caught in the greatest numbers towards the end of each growing season. This was probably because of the greater soil coverage provided by the larger lupin plants at the end of the season.