Distribution and natural enemies of Parthenolecanium corni (Hemiptera: Coccidae) in Serbia

Abstract

European fruit lecaniurn, Parthenoleconium corni (Bouche, 1844) (Hem iptera: Coccidae) is a cm mopolitan, polyphagous species, It represents significant pests of woody plants, especially Worm and fruit trees from the Prunus genus. Occasionally it appears on the plums in numerous colonial when it causes significant damage. In our country, the mass propagation of this species was registered in the 1930s and 195(1.. when more than 16 million and 4.5 million plum trees were cut down. Due to great damage,13k)Ifill ical protection measures were studied during this period and it was determined that many natural enemies play a significant role in reducing the populations of this pest. Since then, there has been no more detailed research of distribution and natural enemies of this species at the Serbia territory The research was carried out in the period from 2015 to 2017 at 27 locations in Serbia. SampliLii plant material with scale insect colonies was brought to the laboratory, where it was examined kir scale insects presence and then deposited in glass cylinders for the cultivation of natural enemies. Scale insects were registered in all examined locations in Serbia, on 30 species of plants from I 0 botanical families, including different types of fruit trees, forest and decorative plants. During our research, on the P. corni we found 19 types of natural enemies, including 12 spetli.s of parasitoids and 7 species of predators. Of the parastoids (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), three species of the Aphelinidae family were reared: Cocrophagus lycininia (Walker), Coccophagus scuteliaris (Dalman), Coccophagus shiliongentit (Hayat and Singh) and nine species from the Encyrtidae family: Anagyrus schoenherri (Westwood), Blastothrix Iongipennis Howard, Cheiloneurus daviger Thomson, Metaphycus dispar (Mercet), Mr t aphycus insidiosus (Mercet), Metaphyrus maculipennis (Timberlake), Metaphycus melanostomatut (Timberlake), Metaphycus punctipes (Dalman) and Metaphycus zebratus (Mercet), The species shi/longensis, was determined for the first time in Serbia. These species of parasitoids reduced tlw number of scale insects populations by 8-56%. Following predators, were reared: Anthribus nebuiosus Forster, Anthribus fasciatus Fur t.it (Coleoptera: Anthribidae), Chilocorus bipustulatus (L), Chilocorus renipuswiatus (Scriba). Excidlonni% quadripustulatus L, Harrnonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinelliclae) and Chtysoperia carnea phens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae). The most effective predatory species is A. nebulosus which hos reduced the number of scale insects population by 21-24%,