Flea beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Alticinae) in Bt- (MON810) and near isogenic maize stands: Species composition and activity densities in Hungarian fields

• Altogether 26 flea beetle species were collected in Bt and isogenic maize.
• Phyllotreta atra and Phyllotreta vittula were the dominant species in both maize hybrids.
• Flea beetle abundance in Bt- (MON810) and near isogenic maize showed no difference.
• Species richness of flea beetle assemblages in the two maize hybrids was similar.

Flea beetles (Chrysomelidae, Alticinae) were collected with Pherocon AM yellow sticky traps in maize plots to compare the assemblages from transgenic Bt- (genetic event MON810, producing Cry1Ab protein effective against lepidopteran pests) and near isogenic maize in Hungary. Altogether, 51,348 flea beetle individuals from 26 species were collected. The dominant species were Phyllotreta atra (F.) and Phyllotreta vittula (Redtenbacher). Their abundances along with other (non-P. atra and non-P. vittula) flea beetle species showed no significant differences between Bt- and isogenic maize plots. Similarly, no difference was found between Bt maize and isogenic maize plots in the species richness of the flea beetle assemblages.