Phenology of Coccinella septempunctata (Col.: Coccinellidae) in central Greece

Coccinella septempunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), field collected from central Greece and reared in cages during 1990-1991 and in vials during 1994-1995 outdoors at Kifissia, Athens, developed 4 complete and a 5(th) partial generations per year. In both cases, only adults of the Ist generation reproduced within the year they emerged; 2(nd), 3(rd) and 4(th) generation adults reproduced partly in the year they emerged and partly in the following year; 5(th) generation adults did not reproduce at all in 1990, and eggs/larvae produced by 4(th) generation females in 1994 died before developing into adults. Adults of the 1 st and 5th generations died before winter; those of the 2(nd), 3(rd) and 4(th) generations overwintered successfully. The greatest numbers of eggs were laid by females of the 1(st) and 2(nd) generations. Visual counts made in the open field at Kopais plain in central Greece (1990-1992) and on the summit of the adjacent Mount Kitheron (1990-1994) indicate that all C. septempunctata instars were abundant in the plain between April and June, becoming scarce from July until the end of the warm period of the year following spring. No C. septempunctata individuals were found in the plain in winter. On the summit of the mountain, C. septempunctata adults were present all year round, singly and in aggregations, except for the month of May. The most numerous arrivals of adults were noticed on the mountain in June. Emigrations of adults from there were noticed from March until the end of April.