Seasonality in the occurrence of two lepidopterous olive pests in Egypt

Abstract Prays oleae Bern, (OM) and Palpita unionalis Hüb., (JM) are two of the most important pests in olive groves in Egypt. A 3‐year monitoring study using sex pheromone traps in semi‐arid and arid olive groves was performed. In the semi‐arid grove, flight pattern of the OM was the same as in other Mediterranean countries, but in dates concordating plant phenology. The moth completes three generations annually: the first flight is in March to April, the second is in May to June and the third occurs in August to October. In the arid olive grove, an interesting flight pattern was observed. First flight was always very close or overlapped with the second one with no male catches during August to October. However, eggs were present most of the season, indicating unusually high female presence and oviposition activity of the OM during the absence of males in the traps. Generally, moth densities were significantly lower in low fruiting years than in higher ones and were also lower in the arid olive grove than in the semi‐arid one. In contrast, JM males were present all season, exhibiting six to seven and three to four overlapping flight peaks in arid and semi‐arid olive groves, respectively. Moth densities were significantly higher in the arid olive grove than those in the semi‐arid one. This study shows that trapping location and fruit bearing year are characteristics that strongly affect the grove‐specific information needed to estimate correctly adult emergence and thus the timing of control measures.     

Are indigenous strains of Trichogramma sp. (Hym., Trichogrammatidae) better candidates for biological control of lepidopterous pests of the olive tree?

Strains of the egg parasitoid, Trichogramma, indigenous in olive groves in the Mediterranean region (T. bourarachae Pintureau & Babault, T. cacoeciae Marchal, T. cordubensis Vargas & Cabello, T. euproctidis Girault, T. nerudai Pintureau & Gerding, T. oleae Voegelé & Pointel) as well as commercially available strains (T. brassicae Bezdenko, T. cacoeciae, T. evanescens Westwood), were assessed in laboratory and semi-field experiments for their attributes as biological control agents for use against lepidopterous olive pests like the olive moth (Prays oleae Bern.) and the jasmine moth (Palpita unionalis Hübn.). In a choice test, an Egyptian strain of T. cordubensis parasitized significantly more olive and jasmine moth eggs than those of the rearing host Sitotroga cerealella Olivier. This strain was also most efficient in finding eggs of the target pests on olive foliage and on potted olive trees. Survival and fecundity of a Tunisian strain of T. bourarachae was not affected when exposed to hot (35°C) and arid (< 40% relative humidity) conditions in comparison to the mild standard of 25°C and 70% relative humidity. It was concluded that indigenous strains collected from olive groves were more effective against the target pests and more tolerant to arid conditions than commercially available parasitoid species, indicating that biological control agents should preferably be isolated from the relevant pest/crop system.     

小叶女贞新害虫黄环绢须野螟生物学特性

黄环绢须野螟Palpitaannulata(Fabricius)是小叶女贞(LigustrumquihouiCarr.)上新出现的一种害虫,严重危害小叶女贞叶片,造成植株枯萎、死亡,同时也危害金叶女贞(L.vicaryi)。该虫在湖南省衡阳地区1年发生3代,以蛹在土中越冬。越冬代成虫和第1、2代成虫分别于4月下旬、5月下旬和6月下旬出现。成虫产卵于嫩梢顶端叶片上,卵期3d,幼虫期9～12d。5月上旬和6月上旬分别是第1代和第2代幼虫盛发期,危害最重。越冬代成虫羽化期喷药是防治该虫的关键,在成虫期和幼虫期分别用40%氧化乐果乳油、50%辛硫磷乳油1000～1200倍或25%溴氰菊酯乳油2500～3000倍稀释液喷洒寄主叶面,可控制该虫危害。     

Effects of Palpita unionalis and Galleria mellonella larval densities on functional response,egg dispersion and progeny sex ratio of Habrobracon hebetor

To assess the potential of the hymenopteran ectoparasitoid, Habrobracon hebetor Say as a biological control agent, we evaluated its response to different larval densities of two pyralid hosts, Palpita unionalis Hbn. and Galleria mellonella L. The former host is a serious pest of olive trees, whereas the latter is used as a factitious host in parasitoid mass rearing. In order to study the functional response of the parasitoid, five host densities (1, 2, 3, 5, 7) of either late instar larva per Petri dish were used. The shape of the functional response curve was determined using logistic regression and could be described as a type II response for both hosts, characterised by a monotonic decelerating increase in the number of hosts attacked with increasing host density. Female parasitoids allocated more eggs to the first larva attacked than all the remaining larvae. Aggregated dispersion patterns for parasitoid egg distribution at different host densities were estimated using the Green index. Multiple visits and ovipositions by females did not significantly affect the total number of progeny produced or their sex ratio. This study has generated novel information on egg laying, egg distribution and sex ratio of H. hebetor when reared on G. mellonella and has the potential to be used in the development of sustainable biological control programmes aimed at P. unionalis in olive orchards.     

中国绢须野螟属研究(鳞翅目,草螟科,野螟亚科,斑野螟族)

记述了绢须野螟属Palpita Hubner 18种,分别为端突绢须野螟P annulifer Inoue;半环绢须野螟P.kiminensis Kirti et Rose,中国新纪录种;钩镰绢须野螟P.indannulata Inoue,中国新纪录种;小锥绢须野螟P homalia Inoue;弯囊绢须野螟P.hypohomalia Inoue;双突绢须野螟P.inusitata (Butler);细微绢须野螟P.minuscula Inoue,1996;弯刺绢须野螟P.curvdispina sp.nov.,该种与细微绢须野螟P.minuscula Inoue近似,但新种个体大,阳茎内端部角状器粗而弯可以与之相区别;尤金绢须野螟P.munroei Inoue;角斑绢须野螟P fraterna(Moore);小绢须野螟P.parvifraterna Inoue;端刺绢须野螟P.perunionalis Inoue,中国新纪录种;短叉绢须野螟P.pajnii Kirti et Rose;方突绢须野螟P warrenalis(Swinhoe);曲纹绢须野螟P.curvilinea(Janse);白腊绢须野螟P.nigropunctalis(Bremer);尖角绢须野螟P asiaticalis Inoue;宽钝绢须野螟P.sejunctalis Inoue.编制了中国绢须野螟属分种检索表,并提供了新种的外生殖器特征图.模式标本保存在南开大学生物系昆虫标本室.