Secretive invasive pests <i>Robinia</i> sp. (Fabaceae) in Voronezh

Abstract

Three species of secretive invasive insects (locust gall midge Obolodiplosis robiniae (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), miner moth Macrosaccus robiniella (Clemens, 1859) and locust digitate leafminer Parectopa robiniella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae)) as well as locust gall midge parasitoid Platygaster robiniae Buhl Duso, 2007 (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) were noted on black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia Linnaeus, 1753) and clammy locust (R. viscosa Ventenat, 1801) (Fabaceae) on the territory of Voronezh. In galls on Robinia leaves, gall midge larvae, pupae exuvia, and pupae of the parasitoid P. robiniae were found, from which adults were bred under laboratory conditions. Galls of O. robiniae and mines with larvae of the moth M. robiniella were noted both on black and clammy locust. Mines with larvae of the moth P. robiniella were recorded only on clammy locust on the territory of the forest park area of the All-Russian Research Institute of Forest Genetics, Breeding and Biotechnology. The distribution of P. robiniella is possibly associated with the cleaning of leaf litter in the city. The locust gall midge O. robiniae and its parasitoid P. robiniae are reported for the Voronezh Region for the first time.