Parasitoids and hyperparasitoids of erannis defoliaria cl. (lepidoptera, geometridae) in oak forests

Abstract

The research on biology and ecology of Mottled Umber Moth Erannis defoliaria Cl. (Lepidoptera, Geometridae) was carried out in the period 1985-2009 in oak forests in Serbia. Mottled Umber Moth was mainly in the latency during the investigation. Only at the locality Miroc in East Serbia and in Forest unit Zlatica (National Park Djerdap), it was dominant in the complex of early defoliators. Natural enemies of E. defoliaria and especially parasitoids and hyperparasitoids are important mortality factors. Egg parasitoid Trichogramma sp. (Hym., Trichogrammatidae) was recorded at few localities in the vicinity of Belgrade and in the wide area of National Park Djerdap. They are nonspecific parasitoids. Somewhat more specific Telenomus minutus (Hym., Scelionidae) was recorded from East Serbia locality Miroc. Larval parasitoids are Protapanteles immunis, Cotesia limbata, C. jucunda (Hym., Braconidae); Casinaria ischnogaster, Casinaria moesta, Phobo-campe crassiuscula Phobocampe pulchella, Phobocampe sp. (Hytn., Ichneumonidae), Euplectrus bicolor, Eulophus larvarum (Hym., Eulophidae), Blondelia nigripes, Phryxe magnicornis, P. nemea, Peribaea fissiconis (Diptera, Tachinidae). There are 16 parasitoids recorded. Five species of hyperparasitoids recorded on E. defoliaria are following: Gelis areator, Bathythrix lamina (Hym., Ichneumonidae), Perilampus ruficornis (Hym., Perilampidae), Habrocytus chrysos. (Hym., Pteromalidae), Tetrastichus sp. (Hym. Eulophidae).