Intraguild predation by H armonia axyridis ( C oleoptera: C occinellidae) on native insects in E urope: molecular detection from field samples

Intraguild predation ( IGP ) is a potential mechanism of negative effects on native species populations by invasive non‐native species such as H armonia axyridis . Molecular techniques (polymerase chain reaction) were used to probe for the presence of various insect (coccinellid, syrphid and chrysopid) prey DNA in the guts of 177 H . axyridis larvae field‐collected in E ngland, F rance, G ermany, S lovakia and the C zech R epublic in 2010. Three of the four target prey species were detected in the guts of H . axyridis at the following rates: A dalia decempunctata 9.6%, A dalia bipunctata 2.8% and E pisyrphus balteatus 2.8%. IGP on C hrysoperla carnea was not detected. IGP detection of at least one target species was made in E ngland, F rance, S lovakia and the C zech R epublic, but not in G ermany. These results strengthen the evidence that H . axyridis is a very generalist predator. Results are discussed in the context of their ecological significance.