Natural Plant Materials as Overwintering Sites for Arthropods in the Coastal Plain of South Carolina

Abstract

Six types of plant materials, grass hay, wheat straw, pine needles, woods litter, corn stalks and husks, and broomsedge grass clumps were compared in small plots as sites for overwintering arthropods. Significant differences were found between numbers of some insects in the materials, with the coccinellids primarily overwintering in the broomsedge clumps, while Staphylinids preferred Bermuda grass hay and wheat straw. Overall, a limited number of important predaceous and phytophagous species were found in the different materials. There were significant differences in the number of arthropods depending upon where the materials were placed in relation to open field or field edges.