نشریه نامه انجمن حشره شناسی ایران
سال چهل و سوم شماره 2 (پیاپی 94، تابستان 1402)

Abstract. Trissolcus grandis Thompson (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), a native Sunn pest egg parasitoid in Iran, has the potential as a biological control agent for sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps Puton (Het.: Scutelleridae). However, its ecological characteristics have remained unclear. Thus, this study aimed to develop a parasitism model of T. grandis with sunn pest egg as host. In order to obtain the data for the model, the longevity, survivorship and parasitism capacity of the adult female T. grandis were examined at nine constant temperatures (15, 17.5, 20, 25, 27.5, 30, 32.5, 35, and 37.5±0.5 °C), relative humidity 65 ± 5 % RH, and a photoperiod of 16:8 (L:D) h. Longevity (mean±SE) decreased as temperature increased and was the longest at 15°C (73.18±3.86 days) and the shortest at 35°C (18.98±0.48 days). A modified model of Sharp-DeMichele well described adult developmental rate (1/mean longevity) in the range of studied temperatures (r2 = 0.994) and was used to calculate the physiological age. The mean total host eggs parasitized/female (mean±SE) was greatest at 17.5°C (275.84 ± 3.21 host eggs) and lowest at 15°C (25.06 ± 3.221 host eggs). The temperature-dependent total parasitism, the age-specific cumulative parasitism rate, and the age-specific survival rate were best described by an extreme value function (r2 = 0.934), the two-parameter Weibull function (r2 = 0.967), and a sigmoid function (r2 = 0.979), respectively. I anticipate that the fitted models and parameters may be useful in developing a population model for T. grandis and lead to a better understanding of its parasitism strategy.

Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot has attracted substantial attention as a biological control agent. The life history traits, and functional and numerical responses of A. swirskii fed on Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) was studied under laboratory conditions (25±1°C, 60±5% RH and 16 L: 8D). Predatory mite was able to feed and complete its development on both B. tabaci eggs and 1st instar nymphs. Total preadult developmental period of female A. swirskii fed on eggs and 1st instar nymphs of B. tabaci were 5.62 and 5.12 days, respectively. Sex ratio (female percentage) of A. swirskii feeding on above diets were 70 and 72 %, respectively. Female longevity of A. swirskii fed on above mentioned diets were 25.27 and 26.97 days, respectively, and total fecundity were 47.20 and 41.70 eggs, respectively. Intrinsic rate of increase (rm) of A. swirskii fed on above mentioned diets were 0.2040 and 0.1863 day-1, respectively. A type II functional response for feeding A. swirski on different densities (5, 10, 20, 30, 45, and 60) of B. tabaci eggs was determined. The highest mean number of preys fed by a single female A. swirskii were 38.50 and 34.70 eggs which were recorded at densities of 60 and 45 preys, respectively, with no significant difference. Searching efficiency (a) and handling times (Th) of the female mites were estimated as 0.1056 h-1 and 0.3534 h, according to nonlinear least-square regression. The maximum theoretical predations (T/Th) for female mites was 67.91 eggs/day. The reproductive numerical response, in terms of eggs laid, showed no significant difference with increasing prey density. There was also no significant difference between longevity of female mite in different densities of B. tabaci eggs. Overall, the results of the present study indicated that A. swirskii has a good potential to control B. tabaci. Therefore, further glasshouse and field research is warranted.

The Mediterranean pine engraver, Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston) (Col.: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is a destructive bark beetle in pine forests worldwide. Regarding the recent outbreak of O. erosus in Iran, its flight activity and population density were monitored in four contaminated sites in western Tehran. These four sampling sites included Tabiat Park, Khargush Darreh Forest Park, Chitgar Park behind Bam Riding Club as well as Chitgar Park 9th Aghaghiya Street (western Tehran). Two pheromone traps (ECONEX ORTHOTOMICUS EROSUS 60 DAYS pheromone, Spain) were installed in each sampling site at the height of 2.5 m in the south direction of the pine trees. The number of trapped adults was recorded at 10-day intervals from April 2019 to March 2020. In total, 8514 adults of O. erosus were collected using pheromone traps during the sampling period. The results showed that the adult flight started from April in four sampling sites. The flight periods of adults continued until November in Tabiat Park, Khargush Darreh Forest Park, and Chitgar Park, behind Bam Riding Club. Differently, the last adults were collected in October in Chitgar Park, 9th Aghaghiya Street. In addition, the flight peaks of O. erosus occurred in August in Tabiat Park, Khargush Darreh Forest Park, and Chitgar Park, behind Bam Riding Club. However, the highest number of adults were trapped in July in Chitgar Park, 9th Aghaghiya Street. Based on our results, the number of trapped adults was significantly different in sampling sites. The mean number of trapped adults was the highest (183.25 ± 0.11) in Chitgar Park, 9th Aghaghiya Street and lowest (106.32 ± 0.07) in Tabiat Park during the whole monitoring experiment. These findings on flight activity and population fluctuation of O. erosus in local conditions could be helpful to establish an efficient and successful management program for this destructive pest.

Over past two decades, Garella musculana (Erschoff, 1874) (Lepidoptera: Nolidae) has surged as a prominent pest in Eurasia infesting Juglans regia. Its caterpillar causes an extensive damage to young fruits and shoots of natural and cultivated varieties of J. regia. The larval instars were seen feeding on nuts from May to August. In August, they start leaving nuts for pupation to continue life cycle next year. The pupation took place inside the loose bark or crevices of walnut trees in white cocoons. In this study life cycle and extent of damage was studied. The larva goes through five growth stages (instars) and lasts for about 67.1±2.26 days. It overwinters in the pupal stage in a white dense cocoon and then emerges in spring as adult when environment becomes favourable. The mean generation time was 297.5±4.45 days. It is univoltine in nature and its larva consumes young walnut pericarp resulting in deformed nuts and there early fall leading to substantial yield loses. The deposition of excrement by larva of G. musculana on the outer green thick layer (husk) degrades its quality and thereby reduces the economic value of the walnut. Knowledge of life-history is crucial for the design of management strategies. The management possibilities of this pest are limited as the feeding destructive larvae are present within the shell or nut. Understanding the life cycle is important to spray timing and effective control. The emergence of the pest and egg laying are important attributes in controlling this pest. Besides natural enemies as eco-friendly approaches acting as bio control agents are encouraged as the most viable alternative for management of this insect pest in this particular area. It is also important to promote the development of new walnut cultivars in newly planted walnut orchards with high potential output and higher shelling percentages.

Grape leafhopper, Arboridia kermanshah, is an important pest species in Iranian vineyards. Adults and nymphs cause damages by piercing the leaf tissues and sucking the intracellular contents. This study was focused on the biology of grape leafhopper in Kermanshah Province. Grape leaves was used as sampling units to estimate eggs and nymphs populations and sticky yellow traps was used to estimate adult’s population. A vineyard was sampled weekly, during growing seasons in 2017 and 2018. Our findings indicated that the leafhopper has three generations per year in Kermanshah. Overwintering of adults happened in the remnants of sheds and under grape barks. Population dynamics of A. kermanshah was studied in relation to temperature and relative humidity. Population dynamics of grape leafhopper was significantly and positively related to temperature in all biological instars of pest in 2017 except the second and the third nymphal instars. Population fluctution was significantly related to relative humidity only for the fifth nymphal instar in 2017. There were significant and positive relationship between temperature and population dynamics of eggs, and the fifth nymphal instars in 2018. Relative humidity changes had also significant relation with all stages except the fourth and the fifth instar nymphs. The density of parasitized eggs by Oligosita pallida Kryger were 93.24±1.1% and 89.74±4.9% in the first and second sampling year, respectively. Hence, the egg parasitoids were very effective in the last generation, therefor, the chemical control for this pest is not recommended.

In this study, lethal concentrations of iron-oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) synthesized from plants (alfalfa, basil, eucalyptus, cinnamon) were investigated for their effects on mortality, antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferases (GST)) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) to develop an effective and inexpensive method for controlling the economic losses caused by Trialeurodes vaporariorum. The characterization of prepared FeONPs with plant extracts was performed using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) to examine the size, elemental composition, and morphology. The UV-Vis results of the green synthesized FeONP showed a peak at 256 nm, confirming the synthesis of FeONPs. An FTIR detected strong absorption peaks at 3420, 3446, 3421, and 3446 cm−1 (hydroxyl group); 2925 and 2926 cm−1 (C–H group); 1618, 1636, 1647, and 1716 cm−1 (C=O group), at approximately 1030, 1034, 1044, and 1048 cm−1 (C–O group). Bioassay tests have been conducted with adults of T. vaporariorum in plastic leaf cages treated with different concentrations of FeONPs. SPSS 21 software (IBM, New York, US) with a confidence interval (CI) of 95% and Probit analysis was employed to determine lethal concentrations (LC10, LC25, LC30, and LC50) of synthesized FeONPs. The results demonstrated that basil, alfalfa, eucalyptus and cinnamon FeONPs effectively killed 50% of T.vaporariorum adults, at concentrations of 4.876, 16.935, 10.584 and 11.948 mg L-1, respectively. Significant increases in LPO, GST, GPX, CAT, and SOD activities were observed in T.vaporariorum adults exposed to the lethal concentrations of different FeONPs. Moreover, the findings suggested that exposure to FeONPs induced oxidative stress in T. vaporariorum adults and may decline their longevity in greenhouses.

The ant Cataglyphis bazoftensis Khalili-Moghadam Salata & Borowiec, 2021 has been recently described in Iran. Here, new materials of C. bazoftensis were collected from five new localities in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari provinces, Iran. All the specimens examined were morphologically consistent with the description of C. bazoftensis. At the molecular level, based on a phylogenetic trees obtained from the mitochondrial Cytochrome C oxidase subunit I gene (COI), C. bazoftensis appears as the sister taxon of Cataglyphis kurdistanica Pisarski, 1965, separated from each other by a genetic distance of 9.79 %

A faunistic survey of the subfamily Belytinae (Hymenoptera: Diaprioidea, Diapriidae) was carried out in northern Iran during 2010-2018. Based on the specimens collected from Golestan, Guilan, and Mazandarean provinces, five genera Diphora Foerster, 1856, Acanosema Kieffer, 1908, Acanopsilus Kieffer, 1908; Psilomma Foerster, 1856 and Synacra Foerster, 1856, are recorded for the first time from Iran. Each genus is represented by one newly recorded species. Diagnostic characters of the newly recorded taxa are provided along with illustrations. A key to the genera of the subfamily Belytinae from Iran is presented.

During a faunistic survey of the jumping plant-lice in the Mazandaran province of Iran in the summer 2022, Rhinocola aceris (L. 1758) was collected on Acer sp. (Sapindales, Sapindaceae), which is newly recorded from Iran. This is also the first record of the genus Rhinocola Förster for the country.