COMPARISON OF THE CARABID FAUNA OF A WHEA T FIELD AND THE NEIGHBORINGHABITATS

In a study on the relationship between the predator populations of cro pped and noncropped habitats the carabid fauna of a winter wheat plot and its surroundings was sampled near Godollo, Hungary. Pitfall traps were placed in the centre and corners of the wheat field, in the field margin, in the grassy strip and in the bushy, tree-grown area. The an alysis of the data led to the following conclusions: The largest numbe rs of Carabids were trapped in highest in the bushy, tree-grown-area, while the lowest numbers were observed in the centre of the wheat fiel d. Slightly more species were caught in the non-cropped habitats but t he overall number of species was relatively low probably due to the re sult of urbanization and isolation. The composition of the Carabid fau na on the cropped and non cropped sites differed. Only four species (C alathus ambiguus, C. fuscipes, Harpalus ditinguendus and H. rufipes) o ccurred in large numbers in both types of habitats. C. ambiguus and H. rufipes were found at all six trapping sites. Eight species were obse rved only in the wheat field and six species occurred exclusively in t he bushy,-tree-grown area. The highest number of trapped specimens was observed in the case of H. rufipes. The results suggest that in the r esearch area the larvae of H. rufipes, C. ambiguus and Broschus cephal otes may overwinter in winter wheat.