Determination of the status of the Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) family in Kırklareli province

This study was carried out in order to determine the status of the Coccinellidae family in Babaeski, Lüleburgaz, Merkez and Vize districts of Kırklareli province in the years 2021-2022. The samples of Coccinellidae were collected from herbaceous plants, shrubs and woody plants found in agricultural and non-agricultural areas when the weather was dry and cool. The sampling period was from the beginning of April to the end of December. As a result of the species identification studies performed on 1621 samples collected during the studies in the research area, 28 species belonging to 18 genera from the Coccinellidae family were identified. Harmonia spp. is the most collected species throughout the province. Harmonia axyridis (Mulsant) (499 units) and this species was followed by Stethorus gilvifrons (Weise) (219 units), Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus) (180 units), Adalia bipunctata (Mulsant) (141 units) and Tytthaspis sedecimpunctata (Crotch) (132 units), respectively. Platynaspis luteorubra (Redtenbacher) and Oenopia lyncea agnata (Mulsant) were the least sampled species with two each. The diversity and abundance of species were higher in the plants in the natural environment compared to the cultivated plants. June, July, August and September and 0-200 m altitudes are seen as the most suitable months and altitudes for Coccinellidae species. As a result of the study, it is thought that H. axyridis is one of the species that should be investigated primarily because it is an invasive and dominant species for our country. In addition, it was concluded that more controlled application of chemical control and transition to integrated control methods would be appropriate, especially in the months when Coccinellidae species are most abundant in the province.