A comparison of the dominant species of predator natural enemies of the major pests in the Huangshan large leaf tea gardens in different seasons

【Objective】The major insect pests in the Huangshan large leaf tea gardens are Empoasca vitis, Toxoptera aurantii, Aulcophora femoralis and Ricaniaspeculum. To investigate the population dynamics between the four major pests and their natural predators. 【Method】 The quantity, and the temporal and spatial relationships of the four pests and their predators were analysed using grey correlation degree and ecological niche analyses. The dominant natural predator of each pest was evaluated using the sum of close index.【Result and conclusion】 There were greater differences for dominant natural predators of four pests between spring-summer season and autumn-winter season. In spring-summer season the three dominant natural predators of Empoasca vitis were Oxyopes sertatus, Neoscona theisi and Tetragnatha maxillosa; the dominant natural predators of Toxoptera aurantii were Leis axyridis, Propylea japonica and Tetragnatha maxillosa; for Galerucinae, the main natural predators were Propylea japonica, Leis axyridis and Erigonidium graminicolum; and for Ricaniaspeculum, the predators were Clubiona japonicola, Tetragnatha maxillosa and Xysticus ephippiafus. In autumn-winter season, the three dominant natural predators of Empoasca vitis were Tetragnatha maxillosa, Theridion octomaculatum and Tetragnatha squamata; the three dominant natural predators of Toxoptera aurantii were Tetragnatha maxillosa, Theridion octomaculatum and Tetragnatha squamata; for Galerucinae, the main natural predators were Propylea japonica, Leis axyridis and Tetragnatha maxillosa; and for Ricaniaspeculum, the predators were Neoscona theisi, Oxyopes sertatus and Xysticus ephippiafus.