Determination of adult emergence course and population density of Lyristes plebejus (Scopoli, 1763) (Hemiptera: Cicadidae)], which is harmful on cherry trees in İzmir province

Abstract

The present study was conducted to determine adult emergence period andchanges in population density of the pest Lyristes plebejus (Scopoli) in cherryorchards in Izmir province between 2005 and 2008. Studies to determine adultpopulation density were conducted in each of 3 orchards where population changeswere monitored in Kemalpaşa county by placing wooden cases 160x25x10 cm insize covering an area of 0.4 m2 with 7 wells covered with mosquito net under tentrees. In these cases, adult emergence under projection of petal of the tree wasdirectly monitored by checking once every week. In the same orchard, ten treeswere marked before the first adult emergence and last-stage nymph skin of theemerged adults were counted and removed after checking sub-petals, bodies andbranches of the marked trees one to two times in a week. Thus, information wasobtained indirectly on adult density.At the end of the present study, it was found that the most emergence of the adultsof Lyristes plebejus in Izmir province was at late June and early July and that theadults were observed until early August. It was also determined that adult densityvaried annually and from one garden to another.