Data on winged insect dynamics in melon crops in southeastern France

Abstract

This article displays insect count data obtained in eleven field trials conducted between 2010 and 2019 in southeastern France. Winged insect abundances were monitored daily within melon crops during 8–11 weeks in May–July using a suction trap or a yellow pan trap. Aphids were identified under a stereomicroscope. In total, 29,709 winged aphids belonging to 216 taxa and 151,061 other flying insects were caught. Among possible uses, these data can populate larger multisite studies or larger time series investigating aphid community variations. They can also feed generic studies exploring temporal dependencies or species assemblages. They can stimulate new collaborations with entomologists keen on implementing molecular tools or taxonomic expertise on a large specimen collection. Keywords: Aphid communities, Biodiversity, Insect sampling, Species composition and population dynamic, Suction trap, Taxonomic identification, Temporal pattern of flight activity, Yellow pan trap