Studies on detection, distribution and determination of parasitoids of harmful lepidoptera species and population change of common species in sunflower planting areas of Tokat and Amasya provinces

This study was carried out between 2023 and 2025 in eight districts of Tokat Province (Zile, Turhal, Erbaa, and the central district) and Amasya Province (Merzifon, the central district, Göynücek, and Taşova), Türkiye. Survey activities were conducted throughout all phenological stages of the sunflower crop. Sampling was performed using pheromone and light traps, complemented by direct visual inspection. As a result of the surveys, a total of 24 Lepidoptera species belonging to eight families were identified in sunflower fields. Of these species, 13 were classified within Noctuidae, three within Erebidae, three within Sphingidae, and one species each within Geometridae, Pieridae, Plutellidae, Pyralidae, and Tortricidae. Among the recorded species, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner, 1808) was determined to be the most prevalent species. Among the species detected, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758) and Pontia edusa (Fabricius, 1777) were recorded for the first time as utilizing sunflower as a host plant. Population monitoring studies revealed that the abundance of H. armigera reached its maximum during July and August. In addition, a total of 12 parasitoid species associated with Lepidoptera were obtained, including five species belonging to the family Ichneumonidae, three to Braconidae, and four to Tachinidae. Notably, Meteorus pendulus (Nees, 1811) and Aleiodes aestuosus (Reinhard, 1863) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), Diadromus collaris (Gravenhorst, 1829) and Chromoplex picticollis (Thomson, 1887) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), as well as Drino imberbis (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Tachinidae), were identified for the first time as parasitoids of H. armigera.