title: Species-specific primers for predation studies of the pollen beetle, Meligethes aeneus (Coleoptera, Nitidulidae).
abstract: Species-specific primers were developed for the pollen beetle (a pest in oilseed rape) for studies of predation by natural insect predators. Two forward and three reverse primers were designed within the mitochondrial COI gene and used in combination to amplify fragments in the size range of 163-290 bp. Remains of pollen beetle DNA were consistently detected in Pardosa spiders up to 24 h after ingestion but dropped drastically at 48 h. These primers will facilitate studies on biological control of this oilseed rape pest. Detection time was not correlated with fragment length as might be expected as the DNA gradually degrades into progressively shorter fragments over time.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden. anna.lundhagen@ekol.slu.se
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassel-Lundhagen
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oberg
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Högfeldt
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ekbom