reported higher value for natural parasitism rate and correlation with the host
population for B. annurus while the one of B. curculionis was negligible. Unlikely,
it has been reported that B. curculionis was the dominant species (ca 64.4%) of
alfalfa weevil parasitoid in Kurdistan province, in the west of Iran (Kamangar and
Ghazi 2006) They reported that the highest parasitism rate of B. curculionis and
B. anurus reached to 33.3% maximally, which seems could not keep the Alfalfa
weevil population build-up. The parasitism rate of near species, O. incertus as one of
the alfalfa weevil parasitoids in East Azerbaijan province was estimated as 18%
(Aligholi et al. 2012). As a rare case, the study of the spatial distribution of alfalfa
natural enemies showed a random distribution pattern of B. anurus at alfalfa fields of
Hamedan province (Zahiri et al. 2006).
The biology of a Persian race of Microctonus aethiopoides Loan (Hym.:
Braconidae) as an alfalfa weevil parasitoid has been investigated under laboratory
conditions which suggest that the low threshold temperature for egg and larvae was
9.8
C and this parasitoid has two generations per year (Arbab 2011).
7.6.2 The Major Lepidopterous Pests and their
Ichneumonoidea Parasitoids
The order Lepidoptera comprises destructive and key pests of crops, fruit trees and
forests in Iran (Abai 2011; Khanjani 2004; Rajabi 2011). Table 7.6 shows the key
pests from the family Lepidoptera and their parasitoids from the families Braconidae
and Ichneumonidae in Iran.
The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lep.: Arctiidae) distributed in the
Holarctic region and Iran in the northern slops of the Alborz Mountains. It is a very
polyphagous moth that has been reported on 636 plant species. The caterpillars of
these pests spin a tent web on the tree limbs and feed on leaves (Abai 2011).
Association of three species of the family Braconidae and four species of the family
Ichneumonidae with the pest has been yet established in Iran (Table 7.6).
The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lep.: Crambidae) is the key
pest of rice in Iran. A huge amount of pesticides was annually used for chemical
control of this pest. Biological control of this pest using natural enemies is an
environmentally safe method for decreasing of chemical applications and sustainable
control of the pest (Niyaki 2010). There have been globally reported 47 species of
Ichneumonoidea as a parasitoid of C. suppressalis (Yu et al. 2012) but in Iran, only
four species of Ichneumonoidea have been yet reported which are listed in Table 7.6.
The lesser bud moth, Recurvaria nanella (Denis & Schiffermuller) (Lep.:
Gelechidae) is a univoltine species feed on apple, pear, almond, apricot and many
other rosaceous fruits. It is widely distributed in the western Palaearctic and Nearctic
where it is probably introduced. In Iran, the lesser bud moth usually occurs in the
higher altitudes (Rajabi 2011). The larva of the pest feeds on the buds, flowers and
young leaves of its host at the beginning of the growing season (at early spring) and
7 Parasitic Wasps: Chalcidoidea and Ichneumonoidea
263
population for B. annurus while the one of B. curculionis was negligible. Unlikely,
it has been reported that B. curculionis was the dominant species (ca 64.4%) of
alfalfa weevil parasitoid in Kurdistan province, in the west of Iran (Kamangar and
Ghazi 2006) They reported that the highest parasitism rate of B. curculionis and
B. anurus reached to 33.3% maximally, which seems could not keep the Alfalfa
weevil population build-up. The parasitism rate of near species, O. incertus as one of
the alfalfa weevil parasitoids in East Azerbaijan province was estimated as 18%
(Aligholi et al. 2012). As a rare case, the study of the spatial distribution of alfalfa
natural enemies showed a random distribution pattern of B. anurus at alfalfa fields of
Hamedan province (Zahiri et al. 2006).
The biology of a Persian race of Microctonus aethiopoides Loan (Hym.:
Braconidae) as an alfalfa weevil parasitoid has been investigated under laboratory
conditions which suggest that the low threshold temperature for egg and larvae was
9.8
C and this parasitoid has two generations per year (Arbab 2011).
7.6.2 The Major Lepidopterous Pests and their
Ichneumonoidea Parasitoids
The order Lepidoptera comprises destructive and key pests of crops, fruit trees and
forests in Iran (Abai 2011; Khanjani 2004; Rajabi 2011). Table 7.6 shows the key
pests from the family Lepidoptera and their parasitoids from the families Braconidae
and Ichneumonidae in Iran.
The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lep.: Arctiidae) distributed in the
Holarctic region and Iran in the northern slops of the Alborz Mountains. It is a very
polyphagous moth that has been reported on 636 plant species. The caterpillars of
these pests spin a tent web on the tree limbs and feed on leaves (Abai 2011).
Association of three species of the family Braconidae and four species of the family
Ichneumonidae with the pest has been yet established in Iran (Table 7.6).
The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis (Walker) (Lep.: Crambidae) is the key
pest of rice in Iran. A huge amount of pesticides was annually used for chemical
control of this pest. Biological control of this pest using natural enemies is an
environmentally safe method for decreasing of chemical applications and sustainable
control of the pest (Niyaki 2010). There have been globally reported 47 species of
Ichneumonoidea as a parasitoid of C. suppressalis (Yu et al. 2012) but in Iran, only
four species of Ichneumonoidea have been yet reported which are listed in Table 7.6.
The lesser bud moth, Recurvaria nanella (Denis & Schiffermuller) (Lep.:
Gelechidae) is a univoltine species feed on apple, pear, almond, apricot and many
other rosaceous fruits. It is widely distributed in the western Palaearctic and Nearctic
where it is probably introduced. In Iran, the lesser bud moth usually occurs in the
higher altitudes (Rajabi 2011). The larva of the pest feeds on the buds, flowers and
young leaves of its host at the beginning of the growing season (at early spring) and
7 Parasitic Wasps: Chalcidoidea and Ichneumonoidea
263