Determination of damage, distribition and population development of Garella musculana ershov (Lepidoptera:Nolidae) in walnuts

Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is a tree that has an important place in human health and industry. There are a few harmful pests in the walnut fruits and shoots. In recent years, a new kind of pests, Walnut moth Garella (=Erschoviella) musculana Ershov. (Lepidoptera: Nolidae), has been found by feeding in fruits and shoots of the walnut trees of Bartın province. The distribution area, damage, natural enemies and population dynamics of G. musculana were determined and carried out the controlling the first time in the walnut orchars in Bartın between 2017 and 2018. The survey study was conducted in Amasra, Ulus and Kurucaşile where at least 0.01% of the trees were controlled and its distribution area, damage and some biological properties were determined in these orchards. In addition, eggs, larvae and pupae of this pest were cultured in the laboratory and reared the parasitoids. The population dynamic of G. musculana was been monitored in the two orchards for two years. 100 shoots and fruits randomly selected on 25 trees were controlled from each orchard. It was distributed in all cities of Bartın and the damage rate 42% for orchards. It was determined that the pest was owerwintered under bark as pupa during the winter. One species (Hymenoptera: Brachonidae) from pupa was reared in the laboratory. G. musculana larvae were found to damage the walnut trees. It was observed to feed under the cambium of green fruits and caused the fall on the ground and dried the fresh shoots. Pest population was found very high in July-August when the fruits reached the walnut size and determined the most damage during this period. The pest population was very high determined in the July-August period when the fruits reached the walnut size was found the most damage. G. musculana larvae were determined in the first 5 cm of the yearly shoots in the last week of June. The wintering stage of the pest was observed in the last week of September. KEYWORDS: Walnut Asian moth, Walnut, Damage, Distribution, Bartın