Predators and Parasitoids of Pine Processionary Moth (Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams) in Western Mediterranean Region in Turkey

İsmail Erkaya

doi:10.30516/bilgesci.680487

Abstract

The pine processionary moth, (Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams, 1924 [Lepidoptera: Notodontidae]) is the most important defoliator pest of pine forests in the Mediterranean Basin and Turkey. Natural enemies of the pine processionary moth are various species of predators and parasitoids. In this study, field studies were performed in nine study areas which were chosen from four provinces (Isparta, Burdur, Antalya, Muğla) in the Western Mediterranean Region of Turkey to determine the potential predators, larva and egg parasitoids of pine processionary moth. Wintering nests and egg batches of the pine processionary caterpillars were sampled from selected study stations throughout 2018. Calosoma sycophanta (L.) and Forficula smyrnensis Serville were sampled as predator species and Phryxe caudata (Róndani), Trichogramma sp., Ooencyrtus pityocampae (Mercet) and Anastatus bifasciatus (Geoffroy) were sampled as parasitoids. Forficula smyrnensis is recoreded for the first time as a predator of T. wilkinsoni. Results may contribute to the literature on ecology, forestry studies and biological control efforts.

Highlights

Pine Processionary Moth (PPM), Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams, (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is the most important leaf defoilator pest of Southwest Europe, North Africa and the Near East (Battisti et al, 2000)
Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni is mostly found in pine forests in the south, west and north of Anatolia, while T. pityocampa generally occurs in Thrace and northwestern Anatolia, and there is a potential hybrid zone of these two twin species in this region (İpekdal et al, 2015)
The PPM has a wide range of natural enemies in terms of predators and parasitoids

Summary

Introduction

Pine Processionary Moth (PPM), Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni Tams, (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) is the most important leaf defoilator pest of Southwest Europe, North Africa and the Near East (Battisti et al, 2000). It is the common pest in the Mediterranean Basin and in southern, western and northern parts of Turkey. Pine processionary larvae feed with pine needles in forest ecosystems, weaken the pines and make them vulnerable to secondary pests. Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni is mostly found in pine forests in the south, west and north of Anatolia, while T. pityocampa generally occurs in Thrace and northwestern Anatolia, and there is a potential hybrid zone of these two twin species in this region (İpekdal et al, 2015)

Methods

Results

Conclusion