Predators of Marchalina hellenica (Hemiptera: Marchalinidae) on pine forests in Turkey

Abstract

The honeydew of Marchalina hellenica is collected by honeybees for pine honey production, which is of great economic importance in Turkey. During 2009-2011 we investigated the predators of M. hellenica, which is distributed mainly in the areas with a Mediterranean climate - in the Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean regions of Turkey. The findings showed that M. hellenica has many predators in the studied areas and that these play an important role in the forest ecosystem. These predators are: Anystis baccarum (L.) (Acarina: Anystidae); Allothrombium triticium Zhang and Allothrombium pulvinum Ewing (Acarina: Trombidiidae); Neoleucopis kartliana (Tanasijtshuk) (Diptera: Chamaemyiidae); Myrrha octodecimguttata (L.), Rodolia cardinalis Mulstant, Scymnus subvillosus (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Dichochrysa genei (Rambur), Dichochrysa prasina (Burmeister) and Chrysoperla lucasina (Lacroix) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae); Wesmaelius subnebulosus (Stephens) (Neuroptera: Hemerobiidae), Cardiastethus nazarenus Reuter and Elatophilus pachycnemis Horvath (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). The most efficient and common predator was N. kartliana, here recorded for the first time from Turkey.