First report on natural enemies of Lixus pulverulentus on faba bean crops in Tunisia. BoukhrisBouhachem, S., Hmem-Bourissa, M., and Souissi R. (Tunisia)

Abstract

The insect Lixus pulverulentus is known to attack faba bean and to induce many damages on plants. The bioecology studies of L. pulverulentus was conducted at Béja (North-West of Tunisia) and Kairouan (Center of Tunisia). We report here the first identification of a natural enemies of L. pulverulentus (syn. L. algirus), a parasitoid wasp Pteromalus lixiand a predatory fly Zeuxia aberrans at both Béja and Kairouan. Parasitization incited by wasps was of about 0.8-2.6% and that displayed by larvae of flies was around 1.3-4.7%, respectively, which are considered low parasitism rates. Rearing attempts of thiswasp may be useful forbiological control of beetles based on indigenous natural enemies.

Keywords

• Diptera
• faba bean
• Hymenoptera
• Lixus pulverulentus
• parasitization