Studies on determination of pests, predators and parasitoits, population dynamics of major pests, and the effects of various pesticides on Chilocorus bipustulatus L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in peach and nectarine orchards in the East Mediterranean region

In this study, 44 pest species belonging to 22 families of 8 orders, 3 classes and 14 natural enemy species belonging to 6 families of 5 orders - were found on peach and nectarine trees in Adana and Mersin provinces of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.Populations of three species were monitored in this study. One of these species, Cydia molesta Busck. was found to be widespread and even dominant in some orchards in the region. It was determined that C. molesta was active from the end of March till October and gave 4 to 6 generations per year. Anarsia lineatella Zell. was the second prevalent species monitored. They were found to be active between April and November and had 4 to 5 generations per year. The third species monitored were thrips. The first thrips adults were found to emerge at the end of February through the middle of March. Trap counts showed that thrips populations peaked 1 to 4 times in a year depending on the region or even on the orchard. The population peaks were found to happen during bloom and / or harvest period. Frankliniella occidentalis Perg. was the most common thrips species in nectarine flowers among the 12 species determined. The adults were first detected in the nectarine flowers at the beginning of the bloom period and the larvae were first detected at the petal fall period. A positive correlation was found between the number of adults / larvae in the flower and the damage ratios of the fruit. The fruit damage was found to be lower in the orchards that had weeds and wild flowers on the base than the orchards that didn?t.The effect of some pesticides that were widely used in peach and nectarine orchards on Chilocorus bipustulatus L. was investigated in laboratory conditions. Among these pesticides, chlorpyrifos-ethyl was determined to be the most toxic to the adults and larvae. It was determined that the pesticide pyriproxyfen had no toxic effect on adults, but prevented the larvae emerging from their eggs and caused existing larvae to die by preventing their molting ability. The other pesticides ?fenbutatin oxide, thiram, glyphosate isopropilamin- were determined to have little negative effect on this natural enemy