Determination of Chrysoperla species (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and reserach on bioecological characteristic and usage possibilities in biological control of the most common species in Çukurova

This study was conducted between 2018-2020 in field and laboratory conditions. In order to determine the Chrysoperla Steinmann, 1964 (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) species in Çukurova, individuals obtained during the surveys in Adana, Mersin and Osmaniye were grouped according to morphological characters. According to the molecular analyzes, it was determined that the Chrysoperla carnea (Stephens, 1836) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) species complex consists of at least two different genetic groups in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The potential of C. carnea in the biological control of cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley, 1898 (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) have been demonstrated by the release studies carried out under climate room and greenhouse conditions. In the studies, release rates of 6 and 9 predator larvae per plant in the climate room and 10 and 15 predator larvae in the greenhouse were used. Results showed that C. carnea can be used successfully in the biological control of the pest in greenhouses. In addition, population development and parasitism of C. carnea group was determined in selected eggplant, cotton and soybean fields in Adana province in 2018 and 2019. An egg hyperparasitoid, Telenomus spp (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and a larval-pupal hyperparasitoid, Oomyzus sempronius (Erdos, 1954) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) were detected during the studies.