Journal of Agricultural Science; Vol. 10, No. 10; 2018 ISSN 1916-9752 E-ISSN 1916-9760 Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education 267 Predator Insect Families Associated With Melon Crop in a Semiarid Region in Brazil Adriano Soares de Carvalho 1 , Adrian José Molina-Rugama 2 , Francisco Edivino Lopes Silva 2 , Ewerton Marinho Costa 3 & Elton Lucio Araujo 2 1 Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia do Rio Grande do Norte, Ipanguaçu, RN, Brazil 2 Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Mossoró, RN, Brazil 3 Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia Agroalimentar, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Pombal, PB, Brazil Correspondence: Elton Lucio Araujo, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, Av. Francisco Mota, 572, Caixa Postal 137, Bairro Costa e Silva, CEP: 59625-900, Mossoró, RN, Brazil. Tel: 55-(84)-994-014-045. E-mail: elton@ufersa.edu.br Received: June 5, 2018 Accepted: July 20, 2018 Online Published: September 15, 2018 doi:10.5539/jas.v10n10p267 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v10n10p267 Abstract Knowledge of diversity of natural enemies in agroecosystems is vital for the integrated pest management. However, surveys of beneficial insects (predators and parasitoids) in the melon crop (Cucumis melo L.) in the semiarid region in Brazil are scarce. Thus, the objective of this study was to know the families of predator insects associated with melon crop in a semiarid region in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), one of the main melon producers in Brazil. The survey study was carried out in a commercial melon area, in the municipality of Baraúna (RN). The samples were collected weekly during the cycle of melon, using passive (Pitfall and Moericke traps) and active (sweep net) collection methods. A total of 13 families of predator insects were collected. The families with the highest relative abundances in the passive collection method were Labiduridae (89.53%) and Formicidae (6.91%), while in the active collection method were Chrysopidae (59.81%) and Staphylinidae (20.56%). These families contain important species of predator which can promote crop pest suppression in melon agricultural systems. Keywords: biodiversity, Cucumis melo, integrated pest management, natural enemies 1. Introduction Melon crop (Cucumis melo L.) is one of the main segments of agribusiness in the Northeast region of Brazil, where the state of Rio Grande do Norte is the largest melon producer (IBGE, 2016). This region is characterized by semiarid climate (high temperatures and reduced rainfall throughout the year) and vegetation of the Caatinga type (xerophilous and deciduous plants) (Prado, 2003). In the Brazilian semiarid region, the melon crop is usually infested by pests such as whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), leafminer Liriomyza sativae (Diptera: Agromyzidae) and melonworm Diaphania nitidalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) (Araujo et al., 2008). In order to ensure plant health and productive potential of melon, it is essential to use integrated pest management (IPM). However, many melon farmers widely use chemical control as the primary measure of pest suppression and these products are rarely applied as part of IMP. Successful IPM requires a thorough knowledge of the pest insect’s biology, their natural enemies, and the crop to allow rational use of a variety of cultivation and control techniques under differing circumstances (Gullan & Cranston, 2017). In this context is essential to know and conserve the diversity of agents of biological control (predators and parasitoids) present in the agroecosystems (Crowder & Jabbour, 2014). Studies on natural enemy diversity around the world in melon relates the presence of several predatory from the orders Coleoptera, Mantodea, Hemiptera, and Odonata (Vinutha, Kotikal, Venkateshalu, Manjunath, & Patil, 2017). Although, despite the melon economic importance, little is known about the diversity of predatory insect families that occur in melon production areas in the Brazilian semiarid (Araujo et al., 2008). However, research on the watermelon crop [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.)], in the semiarid region of Rio Grande do Norte, reports the presence of several families of predators from the orders Coleoptera (Staphylinidae, Carabidae and Coccinellidae) (Costa, Araujo, Silva, Nogueira, & Silva, 2014a), Hymenoptera (Crabronidae, Vespidae and Sphecidae) (Costa,