Determination of population fluctuation of chrysoperla carnea (stephens) (neuroptera: chrysopidae) in the cotton fields Diyarbakir province, Türkiye

Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), one of the most beneficial insects in cotton fields, primarily feeds on aphids, small larvae, mealybugs, and red spider mites—major pests of cotton plants. This study was conducted in 2023 and 2024 to determine the population fluctuation of C. carnea in the Bismil, Sur, and Çınar districts of Diyarbakır Province, Turkey. Population monitoring was carried out weekly from the 2–4 leaf stage of the cotton plant until harvest in three designated cotton fields located in Bismil (Ağıllı), Çınar (Yuvacık), and Sur (Sati). Based on the collected data, the population dynamics of C. carnea varied by year and by month in 2023 and 2024. In 2023, population counts conducted using the trap method and visual inspection showed higher densities of C. carnea compared to 2024, where the population density was relatively lower. When the C. carnea population fluctuation was checked; in 2023, the average adult individual numbers detected with the trapping method and visual control method were 35,55 individuals/adult in Bismil District Ağıllı Neighborhood, 36.15 individuals/adult in Çınar District Yuvacık Neighborhood, and 36.95 individuals/adult in Sur District Sati Neighborhood, and the highest adult individual density was detected in the first week of September. In 2024, the average adult individual numbers detected with the trapping method and visual control method were 34.5 individuals/adult in Bismil District Ağıllı Neighborhood, 35.97 individuals/adult in Çınar District Yuvacık Neighborhood, and 38.05 individuals/adult in Sur District Sati Neighborhood, and the highest adult individual density was detected in the second week of September.