Rove beetles

Widespread use of mirex may lead to altered population structure in terrestrial systems, with resurgence or escalation of nontarget pests due to selective mirex-induced mortality of predators (NAS 1978). For example, populations of immature horn flies and rove beetles, two species of arthropods normally preyed upon by fire ants, were higher in mirex-treated areas than in control areas (Howard and Oliver 1978). Conversely, other species, such as crickets, ground beetles, and various species of oil-loving ants, were directly affected and populations were still depressed or eliminated 14 months posttreatment (NAS 1978), whereas fire ants recovered to higher than pretreatment levels, as judged by mound numbers and mound size (Summerlin et al. 1977). 

Defensive Compounds. Many data on chemical defences of rove beetles have been compiled by Dettner [118]. Recent taxonomic compilations indicate that this beetle family with its omaliine, oxyteline, tachyporine and staphylinine subgroups consists of about 60,000 species, worldwide [ 119]. Within all four groups, chemical defensive systems evolved independently, because free living rove bee-... 

There was proposed a detailed account of iridoid biosynthesis in rove beetles which resembles the biosynthesis in leaf beetle larvae but exhibits distinct stereochemical differences [134], see also the chapter by Laurent et al., this volume. 

Fig. 17 Iridoid derivatives from rove beetles and divergent biosynthesis in chrysomelids and in rove beetles...

The toxic effect of various species of rove beetles pertaining to the genus Paederus on the skin and eyes of mammals, including man, are due to the presence in their hemolymph of three vesicant amides pederin (104), pederone (105) and pseudopederin (106) (Fig. 18) [94,95], pederin being the major and most active of the three compounds. Their structure determination [96, 97] revealed rather unique substances until similar natural products with comparable biological activities were isolated from sponges of the genera Mycale [98,99], Stylinos [100] and Theonella [101-104]. 

Actinidine (9a), found in an anal gland of dolichoderine ants and in the defensive secretions of rove beetles (Table I), was identified on the basis of gas chromatographic and mass spectral analysis and the UV spectrum. The mass... 

Cereals (wheat, barley, triticale, rye) Organic practices (lower fertility, no pesticides) No difference in epigeic collembolan composition No difference in species richness of butterflies, rove beetles, spiders, lower richness of carabids Alvarez et ai. (2001) Weibull et ai. (2003)... 

The arrival of blowflies, and subsequently their larvae, is followed quickly by the arrival of the flesh flies (Diptera Sarcophagidae), other carrion flies (Diptera Muscidae), and predaceous beetle species such as rove beetles (Coleoptera Staphylinidae), carrion beetles (Silphidae), clown beetles (Histeridae), skin beetles (Dermestidae), and checkered beetles (Cleridae). A variety of other fly families may be found in association with the body, and hide beetles (Trogidae) and larvae of some of the aforementioned beetle groups may feed on carrion itself, often on remains of hair, skin, and clothing in late decomposition (Smith 1986). 

The Staphylinidae, or rove beetles, may be found in the surface layer of soil. They are voracious maggot predators, actively chasing maggots below the soil surface (Smith 1986). These beetles may arrive shortly following colonization of the corpse by blowfly larvae, with peak numbers under and around the corpse observed just prior to and at the time of larval migration from the corpse (Putman 1978). 

Peschke, K. and Metzger, M. (1987). Cuticular hydrocarbons and female sex pheromones of the rove beetle, Aleochara curtula (Goeze) (Coleoptera Staphylinidae). Insect Biochem., 17,167-178. 

Stoeffler, M Maier, T.S., Tolasch, T. and Steidle, J.L.M. (2007). Foreign-language skills in rove-beetles Evidence for chemical mimicry of ant alarm pheromones in myrmecophilous Pella beetles (Coleoptera Staphylinidae)../. Chem. Ecol., 33, 1382-1392. 

The most important useful species is the ladybird, but ground beetles, soft beetles, predatory beetles and rove beetles are also known enemies of pests. 

Figure 7 Pederin from a bacterial symbiont of Paederus and Paedericus spp. rove beetles.

Kellner RLL, Dettner K. Allocation of pederin during lifetime of Paedems rove beetles (Coleoptera Staphylinidae) evidence for polymorphism of hemolymph toxin. J. Chem. Ecol. 1995 21 1719-1733. 

Kellner RLL. What is the basis of pederin polymorphism in Paedems riparius rove beetles The endosymbiotic hypothesis. Entomol. Exp. Appl. 1999 93 41-49. 

Before you stomp on that earwig, make sure it s not a rove beetle, which preys on many common garden pests. 

Control Pick up fallen fruik,ahd destroy daily during summer, weekly in fall hang yellow sticky traps baited with vials of 1 part ammonia and 1 part water or commercial fruit fly attractants in trees (1-2 traps per tree) encourage ground beetles and rove beetles, which feed on fly pupae, by planting groundcovers in orchards. 

Control Since larvae cannot move far through soil, rotate crops to prevent pest buildup encourage predatory ground and rove beetles with permanent borders cultivate corn patches well after harvest and before seeding to kill eggs and larvae. 

Rove beetles Many prey on aphids, fS Often mistaken far earwigs. Maintain permanent plant- i ... 

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