Identification of natural enemies of maple thrips, Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel) (Thy.: Thripidae) in Ilam Province

The pear thrips, Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is one of the most important pests, that is recently causes damages to Montpellier maple trees in Zagros forests, Ilam province (western Iran). In this study, the natural enemies of maple thrips were collected and identified by monthly sampling of thrips from Gachan and Manesht Mountains, in year 2015. Results indicated that natural enemies included one larval parasitoid, Ceranisus menes (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and 12 insects and mite predator species belonging to the nine following families: Aeolothripidae [Aeolothrips intermedius Bagnall], Thripidae [Scolothrips longicornisPriesner], Phlaeothripidae [Haplothrips flavitibia Williams, Haplothrips globiceps Bagnall], Anthocoridae [Anthocoris pilosus (Jakovlev), Orius laevigatus (Fieber), Orius niger (Wolff, 1811)], Miridae [Deraeocoris pallens (Reuter)], Nabidae [Nabis ferus (L.)], Coccinellidae [Coccinellaseptempunctata (L.)], Chrysopidae [Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens)], and Anystidae [Anystis baccarum (L.)]. All predators collected in this study were on maple trees along with maple thrips, among them A. intermedius and Orius spp. had higher population densities in contrast to other natural enemies.