Ichneumonid (Hymenoptera) parasitoids of overwintering Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) pupae in hazelnut plantations of the central Black Sea region of Turkey

Abstract

Overwintering pupae of the phytophagous lepidopteran pest Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiidae) were collected from 38 hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.) plantations in Samsun province, Turkey. Five species of ichneumonids, Virgichneumon dumeticola (Gravenhorst), V. albilineatus (Gravenhorst), Enicospilus ramidulus (L.), Pimpla rufipes(Miller) and one Gelis sp. were reared. Average parasitism was 0.13% and 2.33% for 2008 and 2009, respectively. Highest site parasitism was 14.9% and highest site diversity was 4 species. Virgichneumon dumeticola was the commonest species, with 73% of the total speciments. Virgichneumon albilineatus and E. ramidulus are reported for the first time from H. cunea, and V. albilineatus is also reported for the first time from Turkey. Gelis sp. is reported for the first time as a parasitoid of H. cunea in Turkey.