Population Development of Sphenoptera (Tropeopeltis) tappesi Marseul and Its Parasitoid Dolichomitus terebrans (Ratzeburg)

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the population growth of Sphenoptera (Tropeopeltis) tappesi Marseul and its parasitoid Dolichomitus terebrans (Ratzeburg) and the parasitization rate. The study was carried out in an orchard of Siirt University in 2015-2016. The 16-ha orchard consisted of cherry, apricot, plum, sour cherry, apple, and almond species. The samples of infested branches with the pest larvae were taken in October-November and March-May. Furthermore, in May-July, when the adults of the pest were observed in nature, the periods of the occurrence of adults in nature were determined using the knockdown method. In the trees infested with S. tappesi larvae, 1-2-m parts were cut and taken to the laboratory and were cultured under room conditions. The results of the study show that only S. tappesi was identified as the pest species on the trunks and branches of the trees cultured, and D. terebrans was identified as the parasitoid species. Adult emergence of S. tappesi started under room conditions from the end of May and continued until the beginning of July, and adult emergence of D. terebrans occurred between March and June, with the highest adult emergence observed in the third week of May. The parasitization rate was 9.46% and 19.10% in 2015 and 2016, respectively. The fact that S. tappesi is the host of D. terebrans was revealed for the first time in this study, both in Turkey and in the world.