Native parasitoids of the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury, 1773) (Lepidoptera, Erebidae), an invasive alien pest in northern Iran

Abstract

The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury, 1773) (Lepidoptera, Erebidae), is one of the most important pests of forest trees in northern Iran. In order to identify the native parasitoids of this pest a survey was conducted in Guilan province, in 2019. The larvae and pupae of the fall webworm suspected being parasitized, were collected from different host trees and wood piles, and reared under laboratory conditions until the parasitoids emerged. This pest was found parasitized with five species of Hymenoptera, Brachymeria lasus (Walker, 1841) (Chalcididae), Chouioia cunea Yang, 1989 (Eulophidae), Psychophagus omnivorus (Walker, 1835) (Pteromalidae), Pimpla rufipes Brulle, 1846, Virgichneumon dumeticola (Gravenhorst, 1829) (Ichneumonidae), and four species of Diptera, Compsilura concinnata (Meigen, 1824), Exorista larvarum (Linnaeus, 1758), Pales sp. (Tachinidae), and Megaselia scalaris (Loew, 1866) (Phoridae). Among them six species (e.g., P. rufipes, V. dumeticola, B. lasus, E. larvarum, C. concinnata and Pales sp.) are newly reported as the parasitoids of H. cunea from Iran.

Keywords

• invasive pest
• conservation
• parasitoid
• tachinidae
• chalcidoidea
• ichneumonoidea