Effect of some insecticides on acetylcholinesterase from beneficial insects: Coccinella septempunctata, Chrysoperla carnea and Forficula auricularia.

In vitro enzyme activity of head homogenates from adults of Coccinella septempunctata, Chrysoperla carnea and Forficula auricularia originated from different habitats in Belgium (wheat, barley, rye, set-aside fields and experimental orchard, uncultivated area) were investigated in presence of insecticide active ingredients. Using the procedure of Ellman, I50 (M) and Ki (M-1 min-1) values were established. The beneficial insects showed the least susceptibility to diazinon and the differences between their measured values were not remarkable. Paraoxon was extremely toxic to the AChE of F. auricularia but Ch. carnea and C. septempunctata were similarly more tolerant to this organophosphate. In the case of malaoxon earwig and green lacewing AChEs were much more sensitive than AChE of the ladybird beetle. Measuring the carbaryl inhibition, F. auricularia was the least tolerant. The susceptibility of ladybird AChE differed highly from that of both species. According to the measured values, the green lacewing was less tolerant than the ladybird beetle but more tolerant compared with the common earwig. Summarizing our biochemical results, the order of susceptibility of beneficial insects to insecticides investigated was the following F. auricularia > Ch. carnea > C. septempunctata.