A Study on the Fauna of Predator Bugs (Heteroptera) and Parasitoid Wasps (Hymenoptera) in Paddy Fields of Mazandaran

Some species of Heteroptera and Hymenoptera are powerful natural enemies in most of the agroecosystems especially paddy fields. These biological control agents can play an efficient role in controling agricultural pests and thus decreasing pesticides application in rice fields. Considering this along with the significance of growing rice in Iran and also due to the presence of different pests in the rice fields of the north of Iran, the species diversity of these beneficial insects was studied during 2016-2017 in the rice fields of the central parts of Mazandaran. In total, 16 species of predator bugs including Anthocoridae (four species), Reduviidae (two species), Lygaeidae (three species), Pentatomidae (single species), Nabidae (three species) and Miridae (three species); and 11 species of parasitoid wasps including:Chalcididae (one species), Encyrtidae (two species), Eulophidae (three species), Mymaridae (one species) and Pteromalidae (four species) were collected and identified. Additionally, the population fluctuation of predator bugs was studied in rice growing seasons and the maximum density observed belogned to June.