Chlorantraniliprole application differentially affects adult emergence of Sympetrum dragonflies in rice paddy fields

Rice paddy fields are important habitat for many dragonfly species. In Japan, populations of dragonflies inhabiting rice paddies, in particular Sympetrum (Odonata: Libellulidae), have decreased greatly in the last few decades. A major cause of the decline has been suggested to be the use of systemic insecticides (e.g., phenylpyrazole and neonicotinoid) in nursery boxes of rice seedlings. In this study, we examined the effects of chlorantraniliprole (CAP), a novel anthranilic diamide insecticide, on adult emergence of Sympetrum dragonflies in ten rice paddy fields by counting their exuviae remaining on the rice plants as an abundance index. Our results suggest that CAP is a potential factor that reduced the emergence rate of S. infuscatum but not of S. frequens. This difference may be due to differential sensitivity to CAP, different lengths of the nymphal stage, or different effects of bottom-up controls via reduction of prey organisms that are highly sensitive to CAP.

Automated summary

The study found that the novel insecticide chlorantraniliprole can reduce the emergence rate of dragonfly nymphs into adults, especially for S. infuscatum, but not significantly for S. frequens. This difference could be attributed to differing sensitivity to chlorantraniliprole, varying nymphal stage lengths, or the impact of bottom-up controls on prey organisms sensitive to the insecticide.