Betula species as host plants for various insects parasitized by braconids (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) in Serbia

Abstract

This work presents braconid wasps which can be found on insects attacking birches, especially Betula alba and B. pubescens (Betulaceae) which are autochthonous in Serbia. We have found 49 braconid species from 26 genera on 40 phytophagous insects; one from the hemimetabolous order: Homoptera: Homoptera and three from the holometabolous orders: Coleoptera, Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera. Registered braconid species belong to the subfamilies: Aphidiinae, Braconinae, Doryctinae, Euphorinae, Exothecinae, Microgastrinae, Orgilinae, Rhysipolinae and Rogadinae. Although most of the registered phytophagous insects pose a significant threat to Betula species, the two species: Epirrita autumnata (Geometridae) and Lymantria dispar (Noctuidae) are the most important, because they can defoliate entire forests when their populations are in gradation. Also, there are two buprestid pests Agrilus anxius native to North America and A. planipennis (Buprestidae) from Central Asia which are considered as potentially invasive species.

Keywords

• Betula
• Braconidae
• hosts
• tritrophic associations
• Serbia