Coleoptera of poultry manure in caged-layer houses in North Carolina

Abstract

At least 120 species of Coleoptera were recovered from poultry manure in narrow, wide· span, and high-rise types of caged-layer poultry houses in the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain regions of North Carolina. <i>Carcinops pumilio</i> (Erichson) and <i>Alphitobius diaperinus</i> (Panzer) were consistently the most abundant species in all 3 regions, followed by <i>Gnathoncus nanus</i> (Scriba) and the Aleocharinae (Staphylinidae). According to 5 indices of diversity, the Piedmont ranked 1st in overall diversity, species richness and equitability, followed by the Coastal Plain, and thirdly, by the Mountains.

Narrow and high/rise house types were compared for adult and larval <i>C. pumilio</i> and <i>A. diaperinus.</i> The larval population peak for <i>A. diaperinus</i> occurred significantly earlier in the high-rise than in the narrow houses, however, the narrow houses had significantly higher beetle diversity.

A qualitative examination of overwintering forms showed that most species overwintered primarily, but not exclusively, as adults.