Abstract

An investigation on the behaviour ofTetrastichus servadeii Domenichini (Hym.: Eulophidae) andOoencyrtus pityocampae Mercet (Hym.: Encyrtidae) was carried out in 2 stands ofPinus nigra Arnold in the Venitian Prealps (NE Italy) by quantitative observations in the field and by trapping with different baits. The results indicate that: 1)O.pityocampae is caught by traps baited with pityolure, the synthetic sex pheromone of the host, whileT. servadeii was never caught. 2) The host selection process ofT. servadeii seems to be associated with the host plant ofThaumetopoea pityocampa (Denis & Schiffermuller) and with the aggregative behaviour of the parasitoid females. 3) The frequency distribution ofT. servadeii on the egg masses follows the negative binomial distribution; the degree of aggregation decreases with the egg mass age. These results may be taken into account in the utilization of egg parasitoids for the biological control ofTh. pityocampa.

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