Egg parasitoids of Malacosoma neustria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) in Erzurum province of Turkey

Malacosoma neustria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae), a pest of various fruit and bushes, were studied in Erzurum Province, during 2004-2005 with the goal of identifying potential biological control agents of the moth, which reaches outbreak levels in several year-intervals. Eight species of parasitoids in four families of Hymenoptera were obtained from the eggs of M. neustria collected from three locations. Telenomus laevisculus (Ratzeburg, 1844) (Scelionidae) was the most prevalent species occurring at all collecting sites and accounted for 51% of the parasitoids. Baryscapus oophagus (Otten, 1942) and Baryscapus nigriviolaceus (Nees, 1834) (Eulophidae) accounted for 24% and 21% respectively of the total parasitoids found. Pronotalia carlinarum (Szelenyi & Erdos, 1951) (Eulophidae), Anastatus bifasciatus (Geoffroy, 1785) (Eupelmidae), Trichogramma buluti Bulut & Kilincer, 1991 (Trichogrammatidae), Ooencyrtus neustriae (Mercet, 1925) (Encyrtidae) and Baryscapus evonymella (Bouche, 1834) (Eulophidae) were also obtained, but at very low numbers. Telenomus laevisculus has potential in the biological control of this particular pest. Overall parasitism rate was 21.81%.