Tachinidae parasitoids of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Traumatocampa ispartaensis</Emphasis> from Turkey

Tachinid parasitoids ofTraumatocampa ispartaensis Doğanlar & Avcı (Lepidoptera, Thaumetopoeidae), which was found to be a new species, were collected from the cedar forests around Isparta-Kapıdağ. The species found wereBlondelia nigripes (Fall.),Compsilura concinnata (Meig.),Pales processioneae (Ratz.),Phryxe caudata (Rond.),Exorista segregata (Rond.) andCarcelia iliaca (Ratz.). Within the six species of Tachinidae,B. nigripes was the most common one, parasitizing up to 4.6% ofT. ispartaensis pupae. http://www.phytoparasitica.org     

New Ichneumonidae (Hymenoptera) parasitoids of forest insect pests in Bulgaria

During the period 1989–1998 investigations were carried out on the parasitoids of some forest insect pests in Bulgaria. Twenty-one ichneumonid species are reported for the first time in Bulgaria as parasitoids of different coleopteran, lepidopteran, and hymenopteran hosts. From these, 6 parasitoids are new records for the parasitoid complexes of the hosts:Exochus decoratus Holmgr. onEudemis profundana (Den. & Schiff.) andGelechia turpella (Den. & Schiff.);Lissonota culiciformis Grav.—onParanthrene tabaniformis (Rott.);Lissonota unicincta Holmgr.—onG. turpella; Xorides gracilicornis (Grav.)—onXylotrechus sp.; andEriborus terebrator Aubert—onClostera anastomosis (L.). Most parasitoids developed as primary parasitoids in the hosts.Itoplectis alternans (Grav.) is a primary parasitoid ofNycteola asiatica (Krul.) and a hyperparasitoid ofE. terebrator: Acropimpla pictipes (Grav.) is secondary parasitoid onAnacampsis populella (Cl.). With the exception of two species ofOlesicampes genus, which destroyed over 50% ofStauronematus compressicornis (F.) andPristophora conjugata (Dahlm.) larvae, andE. terebrator which killed 15.4% ofC. anastomosis population, the rest of the parasitoids occurred in low densities, and did not play an important role in reducing the number of their hosts.     

Parasitoid community of the loreyi leaf wormMythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi: Novel host-parasitoid associations and their efficiency in the eastern mediterranean region of Turkey

The loreyi leaf worm,Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi Duponchel (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), is a pest of gramineous crops and causes significant economic damage to maize. In field surveys on maize to determine the parasitoid community and its impact on the pest in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey, nine parasitoid species were found associated with immature stages ofM. loreyi: The hymenopteran (Braconidae and Ichneumonidae) parasitoidsCotesia (=Apanteles) ruficrus (Haliday),Chelonus oculator Panzer,Meteorus ictericus Nees,Hyposoter didymator (Thunberg),Sinophorus sp.; and the dipteran (Tachinidae) parasitoidsPseudogonia rufifrons Wiedeman,Exorista rossica Mesnil,Gonia picea (Robineau-Desvoidy) andLinnaemya vulpina (Fallen) — the last three recorded for the first time as parasitoids ofM. loreyi in Turkey.C. ruficrus was the dominant parasitoid species, being recovered from 38.5% of the larvae collected and was also the most prevalent species, existing in 91.0% of the fields in whichM. loreyi was found. Total parasitism levels achieved by braconid species was 41.4%, by ichneumonid parasitoids 4.8%, and by tachinid parasitoids 1.9%. In a separate field experiment, seasonal population fluctuations and natural efficiency ofC. ruficrus onM. loreyi were found to be 35.1% and 42.4%, respectively. Population levels ofC. ruficrus were closely related to fluctuations in the population ofM. loreyi, with parasitism ranging between 0 and 77.3% during the study. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Aug. 28, 2005.     

Note: Tachinid parasitoids of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Ancyrosoma leucogrammes</Emphasis> and notes on parasitization rates of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Clytiomya dupuisi</Emphasis>

The study deals with the tachinid parasitoids ofAncyrosoma leucogrammes (Gmelin) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae):Clytiomya dupuisi Kugler,Clytiomya sola (Rondani) andGymnosoma clavatum (Rohdendorf) (Diptera: Tachinidae). All species are recorded for the first time as parasitoids ofA. leucogrammes, andC. dupuisi was reared for the first time from a host. The parasitization rates ofC. dupuisi on adults ofA. leucogrammes varied from 7% to 9% between 1994 and 1999.C. sola andG. clavatum were reared in only small numbers. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 10, 2003.     

Note:Syringopais temperatella Lederer, 1855 and its parasitoids in wheat and barley fields in the southeast Anatolian region of Turkey

Larvae of the cereal leaf minerSyringopais temperatella Led. (Lep.: Scythridae) collected from wheat and barley fields in the southeast Anatolian region of Turkey during 2005–2006, and their parasitization rates, were determined in the laboratory,Bracon (Habrobracon) stabilis Wesmael andApanteles sp. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) were identified as its parasitoids for the first time.     

Note: Survey of seedborne fungi of sudanese cultivars of onion,with new records

Through incubation of onion (Allium cepa L.) seed samples on potato dextrose agar and moist filter papers at 28±2°C, 32 species and four varieties belonging to 19 genera of fungi were determined as seedborne in this crop. Among them, 23 species are new reports to the mycoflora of onion seeds.Aspergillus (11 species and three varieties, ∼42.1% of the total colony count of fungi) was the most prevalent genus:A. niger (∼19.7%) was found at the highest rate in the seeds, followed byA. parasiticus (∼17.3%,A. oryzae (∼17.3%) andA. flavus (∼14.5%). The genusAspergillus was followed byPenicillium (∼12.4%),Sclerotium (∼7.1%),Fennellia, Rhizopus, Chaetomium, Drechslera andAlternaria (∼12.4%),Fusarium, Emericella andByssochlamys (∼7.1%), whereas the remaining eight genera displayed a low level of infection (∼10%). Twenty-seven species, three varieties and 12 genera represent Hyphomycetes; four genera, three species and one variety — Ascomycotina; one genus and one species — Zygomycotina; two genera and two species — other Deuteromycotina; and one genus — Oomycetes. Some species, which are known to cause devastating pre- and postharvest diseases to onion crops, were recovered from the seeds of this crop, suggesting the high possibility of their transmission by seed. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting July 14, 2004.     

Weed hosts ofVerticillium dahliae in crete: Susceptibility, symptomatology and significance

A survey of common and uncommon weed species usually showing Verticillium wilt symptoms was carried out during 1992–2000 in Crete, Greece.Verticillium dahliae was isolated in 48 out of 182 sampled fields, in which several weed species were grown, from several locations in Oropedio, Lasithi. Altogether, 124 isolates ofV. dahliae were recovered from the vascular stem-tissue of 19 weed species, belonging to ten botanical families. Pathogenicity trials with 13 out of 19 weed species that have never been reported as hosts of the fungus, using for inoculation isolates which originated from the same weed species, resulted in infection of all of them, showing various disease symptoms. Seven weed species (Anthemis melanolepis, Cardaria draba, Convolvulus arvensis, Erodium sp.,Euphorbia helioscopia, Helminthotheca echioides andSinapis alba) are new hosts worldwide, and six additional species (Euphorbia sp.,Lactuca serriola, Raphanus raphanistrum, Sinapis arvensis, Sonchus oleraceus andTrifolium sp.) are new hosts for Greece. The most susceptible (isolation frequency: 27.9–52.8%, moderate disease severity) species were:Capsella bursa-pastoris, C. draba, Chenopodium album, Senecio vulgaris andSolanum nigrum. Less susceptible (isolation frequency: 4.8–17.8%, slight disease severity) were:Amaranthus sp.,A. melanolepis, C. arvensis, Erodium sp.,Euphorbia sp.,E. helioscopia, H. echioides, L. serriola, Malva sylvestris, R. raphanistrum, S. alba, S. arvensis, S. oleraceus andTrifolium sp. Some species —C. draba, C. album, L. serriola andS. nigrum L. — that usually showed external and vascular wilt symptoms, occasionally exhibited only reduced growth. Visible symptoms under natural field conditions in all 13 weed species that had never been reported as hosts ofV. dahliae were similar to those observed after their artificial inoculation. The fungus was not isolated fromFoeniculum vulgare ssp.piperitum, Oxalis corniculata andStellaria media, among other species. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Sept. 18, 2002.     

The hymenopteran parasitoids of some elm bark beetles in Serbia

The parasitoids of the elm bark beetlesScolytus ensifer, S. kirschi, S. multistriatus, S. pygmaeus andPteleobius vittatus were studied in ten localities in Serbia. Eleven species of parasitoids ofS. ensifer, 10 ofS. kirschi, 13 ofS. multistriatus, 12 ofS. pygmaeus, and four ofP. vittatus were found. The most abundant wereEcphylus silesiacus, Dendrosoter protuberans, Cheiropachus quadrum andRhaphitelus maculatus. Acrocormus semifasciatus, Cerocephala eccoptogastri, Mesopolobus typographi andDoryctes pomarius were found in some samples. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 4, 2007     

Natural enemies of the pear psylla<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cacopsylla pyri</Emphasis> in treated<Emphasis Type="Italic">vs</Emphasis> untreated pear orchards in Antalya,Turkey

Populations of pear psylla,Cacopsylla pyri (L.) (Rhynchota: Psyllidae), and its natural enemies were sampled on pears in Antalya province during the years 2000–2002. Thirty-two species of predators and three species of parasitoids were detected to be associated withC. pyri in Antalya province. The heteropterans (especially anthocorid species) were the most abundant predator group. Among the anthocorids,Anthocoris nemoralis (Fabricius) (Heteroptera: Anthocoridae), whose population was closely related to the dynamics of the pear psylla population, was generally the principal antagonist ofC. pyri. Other species recorded during the study were the miridDeraeocoris spp., the chrysopidChrysoperla carnea L., and many coccinellid species. Although these predators are polyphagous, as are theOrius species, their populations were related to the psylla fluctuations. Among the parasitoid complex belonging to the order Hymenoptera, the encyrtidTrechnites psyllae (Ruschka) was the only primary parasitoid. Two hyperparasites,viz., Syrphophagus mamitus (Walker) andPachyneuron aphidis (Bouché) (Encyrtidae and Pteromalidae, respectively), were detected in the surveys. Also, this study revealed new information concerning the pear psylla parasitoid complex in Turkey. WhileT. psyllae andS. mamitus are new records to Turkish parasitoid fauna,C. pyri is a new host record forP. aphidis. The population development and abundance of pear psylla and its natural enemies, as well as the parasitization rates in treated and untreated pear orchards, are presented here. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 6, 2004.     

Distribution and relative importance of lepidopteran cereal stemborers and their parasitoids in Uganda

Infestation levels and parasitism of lepidopteran stemborers on maize were assessed in four agroecological zones (AEZ) in Uganda. The indigenous noctuidBusseola fusca Fuller (Noctuidae) and the invasiveChilo partellus Swinhoe (Crambidae) were the most important stemborers recorded.C. partellus represented 77% of the stemborers in the Eastern AEZ whileB. fusca was dominant in the other AEZs, accounting for 60–79%. The proportion of infested plants was between 16% and 45% and borer density between 0.2 and 1.0 borers per plant. There was no clear relationship between damage and stem tunneling, which is often used to estimate yield loss.Telenomus busseolae Gahan (Scelionidae), the only egg parasitoid recovered, caused parasitism of up to 46% onB. fusca eggs. Several larval and pupal parasitoid species were recorded. The most common were the indigenous braconidCotesia sesamiae and the introducedCotesia flavipes, which are larval parasitoids ofB. fusca andC. partellus, respectively. Mean parasitism by the indigenousC. sesamiae ranged between 2.0% and 29.4% onB. fusca and from 0 to 13% onC. partellus. C. flavipes was recovered at most locations with parasitism of 0–30.5% onC. partellus and 0–12% onB. fusca; the latter was probably the result of multiparasitism as laboratory studies have shown that it was not a suitable host forC. partellus. Results indicated further that the parasitoid has not attained equilibrium 5 years after its introduction. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Nov. 20, 2006. Teddy Matama-Kauma died suddenly in an accident on Dec. 10, 2006, while this paper was in press.     

Aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) on citrus: Seasonal abundance, association with the species of host plant, and sampling indices

Samples were collected from southern Greece during 1996–2000 in order to investigate the presence of parasitoids onAphis gossypii Glover infesting several citrus species. The species of aphidiines found to have a significantly different preference forA. gossypii wereAphidius colemani Viereck,Aphidius matricariae Haliday,Diaeretiella rapae (M’Intosh),Ephedrus persicae Froggat,Lysiphlebus testaceipes (Cresson),Binodoxys acalephae (Marshall) andBinodoxys angelicae (Haliday). In another sampling experiment, the relative abundance of aphidiine parasitoids on aphids infesting orange and tangerine trees was studied in southern Greece (Nea Kios) in 1996 and 1997.A. gossypii constituted the largest part of the aphid population and was the only species parasitized.B. angelicae andA. colemani were the most abundant parasitoid species. The parasitization rate differed among the parasitoid species.B. angelicae had the highest colonization rate in centrally located and large host (A. gossypii) groups, whereasA. colemani was found in more isolated and relatively small host groups. The percentage of parasitism byB. angelicae was high mainly in large host groups, whenB. angelicae was the only parasitoid present. However, in cases of coexistence ofB. angelicae withA. colemani with hyperparasitoids, in the same sampling unit, the percentage of parasitism was relatively low. http://www.phytoparasitica.org     

Species composition, structure and impact of larval parasitoids of poplar twig borer,Gypsonoma aceriana (Dup.) (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae), on poplar ornamental trees in Sofia

Studies on the species composition and structure of parasitoid complex of poplar twig borer,Gypsonoma aceriana (Dup.), on poplar ornamental trees in Sofia and their role in reducing the number of this pest have been conducted during the period 1990–1997. Six larval parasitoids—Bracon variator Nees,Orgilus obscurator (Nees),Microdus tumidulus Nees,Apanteles erevanicus Tob. (Braconidae),Pristomerus rufiabdominalis Ucida andPristomerus vulnerator (Panz.) (Ichneumonidae) were identified. Most numerous wereM. tumidulus (41.0%),A. erevanicus (30.6%) andP. rufiabdominalis (19.1%).A. erevanicus andM. tumidulus were dominating during the different years. The parasitoids ofG. aceriana were solitary, asB. variator is an ektoparasite, and the rest—endoparasites. They attack young host larvae and emerge at the end of the pupal stage. The life cycle of parasitoids, that have double generation, are well synchronised with the pest development. This was expressed in the high levels of parasitism, which in some cases reached 61.5%, and as a whole for the different generations they were 5.9–44.4%.A. erevanicus andM. tumidulus were the most important in reducing the number of the pest.     

Parasitism of egg-batches of the cedar processionary moth<Emphasis Type="Italic">Traumatocampa ispartaensis</Emphasis> in Turkey

Studies were carried out on the egg material ofTraumatocampa ispartaensis Doganlar & Avcı (Lep.: Notodontidae) collected onCedrus libani A. Rich. A total of 95 egg-batches were sampled over two annual generations ofTr. ispartaensis. The number of eggs in each egg-batch varied between 39 and 245 and the length of the batches varied between 7 and 36 mm. The mean number of eggs per batch was found to be 119 and 122 in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Based on field data the oviposition period continued from mid August to mid September. The mean hatching rate of the host was found to be 85.8% and 88.9%, whereas the impact of egg parasitoids accounted for 11.3% and 7.4%, respectively in the 2 years.Ooencyrtus pityocampae (Mercet) was observed as the most abundant egg parasitoid, followed byOoencyrtus sp. nearmasii (Mercet) andTrichogramma brassicae Bezdenko. Based on the emergence dynamics of the egg parasitoids in the laboratory, it seems thatO. pityocampae emerged mainly in June whereasO. sp. nearmasii andT. brassicae emerged mainly in May. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Feb. 3, 2003.     

Screening for highly effective isolates ofBacillus thuringiensis againstSpodoptera exempta andSpodoptera littoralis

Several new isolates ofBacillus thuringiensis Berliner have shown significantly higher levels of insecticidal activity than the previous best isolates (Bt₂₄-entomocidus and IH-A-aizawai) against bothSpodoptera littoralis Boisd. andSpodoptera exempta Walker. The best ones, in the following descending order of potency, were: againstS. littoralis — K26–21, MF4B–2, MR1–37, K28–30, K26–8; againstS. exempta — Bt-3, K30–3, HD-133, MR1–37, Bt-17, K26–8, K26–21, MF4B-2, HD-593. Larvae ofS. exempta were considerably more susceptible (4.12–1.25 fold) to some of the isolates (Bt-3, K30–3, HD-133, MR1–37, Bt-17, K26–8, HD-593) thanS. littoralis.     

Identification by meconia of two egg parasitoids ofThaumetopoea wilkinsoni

Baryscapus servadeii (Dom.) andOoencyrtus pityocampae (Mercet) were the most frequent egg parasitoids ofThaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams (Lep.: Thaumetopoeidae) in the Mountains of Lahav, Israel. Their meconia, remaining in the eggs, differ in structure and can be used to determine the annual rate of parasitism without collecting emergent adults. InB. servadeii, diapausing insects can be discriminated from non-diapausing ones by their meconia.     

Parasitoid complex of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cameraria ohridella</Emphasis> (lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in Serbia

Fourteen species in two families of the order Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae (1 sp.) and Eulophidae (13 spp.), were recorded during the study ofCameraria ohridella parasitoids at eight localities in Serbia. Among the observed parasitoids, the most significant species wereMinotetrastichus frontalis, Pediobius saulius, Pnigalio agraules andClosterocerus trifasciatus. In addition, at some localities the speciesMinotetrastichus platanellus andCirrospilus talitzkii were also significant. The parasitoids do not have a significant effect on the abundance ofC. ohridella because in the majority of study samples parasitism levels did not exceed 20%. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Feb. 23, 2004.     

Note: Tachinid parasitoids (Diptera: Tachinidae) of<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi</Emphasis> in the southeast Anatolian region of Turkey

The loreyi leaf worm,Mythimna (Acantholeucania) loreyi (Duponchel) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a serious pest of gramineous crops and reduces yields in maize plantations. This study was undertaken to determine the tachinid parasitoid complex ofM. loreyi in the southeast Anatolian region of Turkey. Four tachinid species were found:Pseudogonia rufifrons (Wiedemann),Exorista larvarum (Linnaeus),Drino imberbis (Wiedemann) andLinnaemya neavei Curran were reared from field-collectedM. loreyi larvae. Of the four tachinid speciesM. loreyi is a new host record forE. larvarum andD. imberbis. L. neavei was recorded for the first time in Turkey and was the most frequently encountered parasitoid in this study. Total parasitism level was 7.1% in 2003 and 15.5% in 2004. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting Jan. 16, 2007.     

Anselmella malacia, a new pest wasp (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Eulophidae) reared fromSyzygium samarangense in Malaysia

A new pest wasp,Anselmella malacia Xiao & Huang sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), is described fromSyzygium samarangense Merr. & Perry. The larvae ofAnselmella are phytophagous and develop as seed-eaters of some species ofSyzygium. This is the first record of anAnselmella species reared fromSyzygium samarangense. The type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 14, 2006.     

Associations betweenFrankliniella spp. andOrius niger populations in cotton

The distribution of theFrankliniella speciesF. occidentalis (Pergande) andF. intonsa (Trybom) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), and of the predatory bugOrius niger (Wolff) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), in various organs of the cotton plant, as well as prey — predator interactions between thrips andO. niger, were investigated over 6 years in cotton fields in the eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey. The highest number of larvae ofFrankliniella spp. were found inhabiting bolls, whereas the adults colonized mainly flowers. The majority of predatory bug nymphs were present on leaves, followed by bolls, whereasO. niger adults visited mostly flowers. The thrips larvae were most likely preyed upon on flowers and squares, and bolls were safe plant parts for thrips, with a low predation rate. An intermediate but relatively high predation rate occurred on cotton leaves. In further field experiments, the effects of insecticide treatment on the relationships betweenO. niger andFrankliniella spp. were investigated. These trials revealed that a higher correlation existed between the numbers of adultO. niger in flowers andFrankliniella spp. in non-treated cotton fields than in insecticide-treated fields. The proportions of prey/predator in flowers ranged from 1.53 to 19.28 and were below four thrips per predator at most sampling dates in some of the non-treated cotton fields. It is concluded thatO. niger is an effective predator that can play an important role in suppressing population increase ofFrankliniella spp. in cotton. http://www.phytoparasitica.org posting May 12, 2006.