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Bal kabağı bitkisi (Cucurbita moschata Duch.), Batı Karadeniz Bölgesi’nde yer alan Düzce ilinde, yetiştiriciliği en fazla yapılan ve ekonomik anlamda önemli sebzelerin başında gelmektedir. Düzce ilinde bal kabağında zararlı ve yararlı türleri belirlemek amacıyla 2016-2017 yıllarında sörvey çalışmaları yürütülmüştür. Çalışmada gözle kontrol, atrap ve ağız aspiratörü yöntemleri kullanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda iki takıma bağlı yedi familyadan 10 zararlı tür ve dört takıma bağlı altı familyadan 13 faydalı tür tespit edilmiştir. Zararlı türlerden Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Lygus pratensis L. ve Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Hemiptera: Miridae) bal kabağı alanlarında yaygın ve sık rastlanılan türler olarak tespit edilmiştir. Doğal düşmanlardan ise en yaygın türler olarak Sphaeropharia scripta L. (Diptera: Syrphidae), Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) ve Dicyphus errans Wolff (Hemiptera: Miridae) belirlenmiştir., Pumpkin plant (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) is one of the most cultivated and economically important vegetables in Düzce province, located in the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. A survey was carried out to determine the pest and beneficial insect species in pumpkin areas between 2016 and 2017 in Düzce province. Sweep netting, mouth aspirator and visual observation methods were used to collect insect samples in the study. At the end of this research, 10 pest species from seven families of two orders and 13 beneficial species from six families of four orders were determined in the pumpkin areas. Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae), Lygus rugulipennis Poppius ve Lygus pratensis L. (Hemiptera: Miridae) were observed more common and widely distributed among the harmful species. Sphaeropharia scripta L. (Diptera: Syrphidae), Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) ve Dicyphus errans Wolff (Hemiptera: Miridae) were found as the most common natural enemies.

Several plant bug species (Miridae) are important pests of crops and vegetables, thus monitoring them is of essential importance for effective pest control. During the current, preliminary study synthetic plant volatile combinations were tested in field conditions in Hungary in alfalfa fields. Beside semiochemical baited traps, sweep-netting was also performed. In the experiments three plant bug species were found in higher numbers: Adelphocoris lineolatus, Lygus rugulipennis and L. pratensis. As a novel, interesting finding L. pratensis was attracted to phenylacetaldehyde baited traps. For all species, both males and females were trapped in all combinations. Sweep-netting and semiochemical baited traps showed different efficacy in case of the three species, as sweep-netting catches were highly biased for A. lineolatus, which indicates the higher efficacy of this method as compared to the tested semiochemical-baited traps. On the other hand, semiochemical baited showed better performance for L. rugulipennis and L. pratensis. For these species none of the tested combinations performed better than phenylacetaldehyde baited traps. The potential implication of results in view of monitoring are discussed.

Background European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis (Heteroptera: Miridae), is a polyphagous pest damaging a range of arable and horticultural crops. Management is reliant upon chemical insecticides for control. These studies developed a synthetic semiochemical push-pull control strategy to reduce numbers of L. rugulipennis and subsequent fruit damage in UK strawberry crops. Using a series of small-field experiments and testing in commercial strawberry crops we explored the efficacy of hexyl butyrate (HB), as the push element and female sex pheromone combined with phenylacetaldehyde as the pull. Results HB dispensers placed 1.0, 3.5, 5.0, and 7.0 m from all-green Unitraps baited with the L. rugulipennis female sex pheromone significantly reduced male catches by 99%, 54% 44% and 20%, compared to untreated control, respectively. Subsequently, HB dispensers at 2 m intervals along the crop row (the push), combined with a perimeter pull, in commercial crops, reduced numbers of adult and nymph L. rugulipennis by up to 80% in organic strawberry crops compared to the untreated control. Finally, the push-pull system halved fruit damage (8%) compared to the untreated areas (16%) in conventional crops. In organic strawberry crops, 90% of untreated strawberries had some mirid damage compared to only 41-51% in the push-pull treated areas. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a push-pull approach using synthetic semiochemicals giving a significant reduction in crop damage by mirids and paves the way for non-pesticide control of a range of mirid species on multiple crops. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Bu çalışma 2009-2010 yıllarında Hatay ilinin, Antakya merkez ilçeye bağlı, Narlıca beldesinde bulunan iki farklı yonca tarlasında yürütülmüş olup, yonca bitkisinde bulunan fitofag türler, doğal düşman türleri ve bunların popülasyon yoğunluklarının belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. İlk yıl iki haftada bir, ikinci yıl haftalık olarak yapılan örneklemelerde, köşegenler doğrultusunda yürüyerek 25 atraplık örnekleme yapılmış, ayrıca farklı doğrultularda yürürken 8-10 adımda bir durularak alınan toplam 30 yonca sapı üzerinde bulunan yaprakbitleri ve thrips bireyleri ile galeri sineklerine ait galeriler sayılarak kaydedilmiştir. Yapılan örnekleme ve sayımlar sonucunda beş takıma ait 14 familyaya bağlı 53 fitofag tür ve altı takıma ait dokuz familyaya bağlı 20 predatör ve 10 parazitoit olmak üzere 30 doğal düşman türü elde edilmiştir. Cicadellidae, 19 tür ile en fazla tür içeren familya olmuş, bu familya içerisindeki türlerden ise Asymmetrasca decedens ve Empoasca decipiens en yoğun bulunan türler olmuştur. Lygus rugulipennis ise tüm fitofag türler içerisinde en baskın bulunan tür olarak görülmüştür. Tüm zararlı tür popülasyonlarının her defasında biçimlerden etkilenerek düşüş gösterdiği saptanmıştır. Tür sayısı bakımından zengin olan doğal düşmanlara bakıldığında ise predatör türlerin ağırlıkta olduğu ve bölgede yılda yapılan yaklaşık 7-8 biçime rağmen tarlada popülasyonlarının süreklilik arz ettiği görülmüştür.

Determining the spatio-temporal distribution and association of pests and natural enemies would be useful for implementing biological control of pests and could also be used in site-specific pest management. In this study, the spatio-temporal distribution and association of aphids, plant bugs, and natural enemies were assessed in alfalfa fields using geo-statistics and spatial analysis by distance indices (SADIE). Additionally, the effect of alfalfa hay-harvesting on the spatial and temporal distribution of these insects was investigated for the first time. Geostatistical analysis indicated that the degree of dependence (DD) was &ge, 75% for 11 out of 39, 9 out of 35, 3 out of 12, 10 out of 29, and 2 out of 20 datasets for pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum, spotted alfalfa aphid Therioaphis maculata, cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora, alfalfa plant bug Adelphocoris lineolatus, and tarnished plant bug Lygus rugulipennis, respectively. The results also indicated that DD was &ge, 75% in 7 out of 45, 18 out of 45, and 3 out of 20 datasets for Coccinella septempunctata, Hippodamia variegata, and Pterostichus melanarius, respectively. Harvesting decreased the aggregation of the ladybirds, which resulted in a decrease in the index of aggregation. The geo-statistics results were confirmed by SADIE in 75% of datasets. These results can be used in biological control and site-specific management of aphids and plant bugs in alfalfa fields.

Heteroptera and Coleoptera, collected in experimental fields of Chenopodium quinoa , are reported. Twelve species of Heteroptera and five species of Coleoptera were recorded; a large number of the phytophagous species, Lygus rugulipennis , Orthotylus flavosparsus , Aphis craccivora , A. fabae and Chaetocnema tibialis , and of the predator Hippodamia variegata were found.

Most horticultural crops are attacked by more than one insect pest. As broad-spectrum chemical control options are becoming increasingly restricted, there is a need to develop novel control methods. Semiochemical attractants are available for three important horticultural pests, strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus rubi Herbst (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Hemiptera: Miridae) and raspberry beetle, Byturus tomentosus deGeer (Coleoptera: Byturidae). Traps targeting more than one pest species would be more practical and economical for both monitoring and mass trapping than traps for single-species. In this study we aimed to (1) improve the effectiveness of existing traps for insect pests in strawberry and raspberry crops by increasing catches of each species, and (2) test if attractants for two unrelated pest species could be combined to capture both in the same trap without decreasing the total catches. Field tests were carried out in four European countries and different combinations of semiochemicals were compared. A volatile from strawberry flowers, 1,4 dimethoxybenzene (DMB), increased the attractiveness of the aggregation pheromone to both sexes of A. rubi. The host-plant volatile, phenylacetaldehyde (PAA), increased the attraction of female L. rugulipennis to the sex pheromone, and, in strawberry, there was some evidence that adding DMB increased catches further. Traps baited with the aggregation pheromone of A. rubi, DMB, the sex pheromone of L. rugulipennis and PAA attracted both target species to the same trap with no significant difference in catches compared to those single-species traps. In raspberry, catches in traps baited with a combination of A. rubi aggregation pheromone, DMB and the commercially available lure for B. tomentosus, based on raspberry flower volatiles, were similar to those in single-species traps. In both crops the efficiency of the traps still needs improvement, but the multispecies traps are adequate for monitoring and should not lead to confusion for the user as the target species are easy to distinguish from each other.

* Lygus rugulipennis Poppius, 1911 Throughout the study area collected in large numbers., Published as part of TASZAKOWSK, Artur & PASI��SKA, Agnieszka, 2017, New data on the occurrence of terrestrial true bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in Pieniny Mountains, pp. 1-13 in Fragmenta Faunistica 60 (1) on page 6, DOI: 10.3161/00159301FF2017.60.1.001, http://zenodo.org/record/6251980

The European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis (Heteroptera: Miridae), inflicts serious damage to glasshouse crops, including cucumber, in which it causes distorted foliage, dead growing points and malformed fruits. In a research involving commercial growers, we tested the possibility of using a trap crop to control L. rugulipennis. We screened the attraction of sunflower and lucerne as trap crops using an olfactometer. Adults (females and males) were more attracted to the odour of either flowering sunflower or lucerne than flowering cucumber. In a glasshouse trial, potted flowering sunflowers were evaluated as a trap crop placed at the ends of each cucumber row. Although the trap crop showed much higher attractiveness than the cucumber crop, this effect was not sufficient to provide an acceptable level of control according to the commercial growers. The growers suggested developing artificial sunflower odour as a more efficient lure for removal trapping. As a first step in this development, we tested the attraction of the headspace odour collected from sunflower in olfactometer trials. Sunflower headspace attracted a higher number of adults compared to a blank or a flowering cucumber. The sunflower odour was analysed by gas chromatography coupled to mass-spectrometry to determine compounds possibly involved in L. rugulipennis attraction. The chemical analysis of the plant odour showed a well-defined differentiation between sunflower and cucumber, with a number of monoterpenes released exclusively by sunflower. This, plus an emission rate from sunflower being at least four times more abundant, opens the possibility of using synthetic sunflower volatiles to attract L. rugulipennis within a cucumber background.

The European tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis Poppius) is among the most serious pests in the family Miridae, and therefore there is increasing interest in understanding the behaviour of this species. In the present study, laboratory recordings were taken using a laser vibrometer on adult males and females to ascertain whether acoustic signals are involved in intraspecific communication. Recordings were both carried out on plant and loudspeaker membrane substrates. Males and females emitted vibratory signals and the present results indicate that these signals are important during courtship. The basic signal characteristics measured were the dominant frequency, pulse duration, repetition time and number of pulses per group within the signal. Male and female signals did not differ in respect to any of these characteristics. Plant recorded signals were longer because of different mechanical properties of substrates. Additionally, the high frequency components were attenuated due to the low-pass filtering properties of plants. As this is the first study on vibratory communication of the European tarnished plant bug, we believe these findings may contribute considerably to the better understanding of the mating behavior of this important pest species.

The European tarnished plant bug Lygus rugulipennis has caused significant economic damage to strawberry production in the U.K. in recent years. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study L. rugulipennis development under fluctuating low temperatures. The results indicated that L. rugulipennis can develop at an appreciable rate at 10 °C. We have developed a model predicting the phenology of L. rugulipennis in the U.K. The model assumes that adults overwinter and uses temperature from the first day of a calendar year to simulate pest development. The model was validated against field observations of L. rugulipennis population dynamics monitored under both open-field and protected conditions on weeds and strawberry plants. Predicted L. rugulipennis population patterns from the model agreed well with the observed data. The L. rugulipennis model can be used in practice to enable growers to identify the timing of the first generation of L. rugulipennis adult dispersal into strawberry, or other crops, from weeds. The model will also assist growers with the timing of the deployment of pheromone traps and interpreting the importance of trap catches. This will allow growers to better time and target applications of insecticides against damaging life stages of the pest.

A range of naturally occurring predator species or commercially produced predators can be used in biocontrol strategies for pests. However, multiple potential prey species or other alternative food sources are often present for predatory insects at any one time. The availability of this ‘alternative’ prey may affect specific pest control by predators and thus influence the release rates of predators required for economic pest control. Strawberry aphid (Chaetosiphon fragaefolii), western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) and European tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis) are important and damaging pests in strawberry. In this study, laboratory, glasshouse and field experiments were undertaken to assess the effects of the availability of multiple prey species on biocontrol of specific pests. Results indicated that two of the predators tested showed preferences for prey species such that biocontrol of a particular pest was often less effective when a combination of pest species was prese...

Introduction: For many insect species, pheromones and host plant volatiles are of major importance in mate finding and host plant location. Therefore, there is potential for using these interactions to develop new strategies and effective control measures. The strawberry blossom weevil (Anthonomus rubi), the European tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis) and the raspberry beetle (Byturus tomentosus) cause large losses (10->80%) in both conventional and organic strawberry and raspberry production. We investigated whether the natural semiochemical mechanisms of these key pests can be exploited to develop effective traps for their management through mass trapping. Methods: Attractive traps and lures with host plant volatiles and pheromones were developed and combined into a “multitrap” for management of these pests simultaneously. These traps were deployed within and around the perimeters of the soft berry fields. Insect catches were evaluated according to species, habitat and environmental variables. Plant damage was also assessed. Results/Conclusion: For both crops it was possible to combine lures so that different targeted insect species were caught in the same trap simultaneously, but optimal insect traps in strawberry were not the same as in raspberry. Perimeter traps and multiple traps placed inside the plantations showed the potential to reduce pest numbers and subsequent fruit damage. In addition, bycatch of non-targeted invertebrate species were low. Thus, it is possible to develop new plant protection strategies by using these techniques. In this paper we will discuss the benefits and difficulties in using these techniques as part of integrated or organic pest management.

Field experiments were carried out to ascertain whether synthetic floral odour compounds were attractive for two pest bug species. The European tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis Poppius) has been reported to damage various crops (e.g. strawberry, sugarbeet, alfalfa, cucumber), and the alfalfa plant bug (Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze)) is considered as a pest of alfalfa and Bt-cotton. In our field tests, traps baited with phenylacetaldehyde caught significantly more L. rugulipennis than unbaited traps. In addition, A. lineolatus was also attracted to phenylacetaldehyde-baited traps. When testing other, EAG active compounds, (E)-cinnamaldehyde attracted A. lineolatus as well. This compound was also attractive for L. rugulipennis, however, to a lesser extent than phenylacetaldehyde. When the two compounds were presented in combination, no synergistic or inhibitory effect was detected in either species. By attracting both sexes of both species, these new attractants may prove to be useful and provide the basis for further development of new lures for agricultural use.

Little information is available on the oviposition behaviour and strategies of Lygus bugs, and these topics are unknown for most Miridae. Lygus rugulipennis, a widespread polyphagous species in the Palaearctic Region, is a serious pest of both herbaceous crops and fruit trees. Here we report on the L. rugulipennis oviposition behaviour and preferences. Experiments were carried out utilizing fresh green beans, and data were recorded using a computerized system for behavioural acquisitions. The L. rugulipennis female examines the plant substrate by means of the labial tip and then probes into the tissue using her stylets. Once the substrate is suitable, the female inserts her ovipositor precisely in the point previously probed and lays an egg. To investigate females’ oviposition preferences, their behaviour was compared on healthy green beans vs. artificially wounded green beans, with different types of wounds and at different time intervals (1 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h) after wounding. Through labial and stylet examination, females distinguished healthy and wounded tissues and significantly preferred to oviposit in the latter, with different egg densities depending on the type of wound. Such preference changed at different time intervals after wounding. The lower resistance of the wounded substrate to ovipositor insertion, compared with the healthy substrate, was confirmed through a penetrometer test. Lygus preference for damaged tissues is discussed in terms of oviposition strategies in the insect-plant interaction context and strategies to escape natural enemies.

European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis , is a serious pest on late season strawberries in the UK. Feeding by the pest on the developing fruits causes severe malformation, and over 50% of fruit may be downgraded as a result of capsid feeding in unsprayed crops. A range of compounds was tested against the pest over two years at East Malling Research. In 2008 experiments were conducted on weed plots with high L. rugulipennis populations, and in 2009 were conducted on an everbearer strawberry planting. The 2008 experiments showed that etoxazole had no effect on L. rugulipennis and that although flonicamid and indoxacarb significantly reduced populations they were not as effective as thiacloprid, either with or without a surfactant, or acetamiprid. In the 2009 experiment on strawberry thiacloprid + surfactant, applied twice, was more effective than this treatment applied once, which in turn was more effective than thiacloprid alone. In both years the most effective treatment was the pyrethroid bifenthrin. There was no suggestion that different developmental stages of the pest were more susceptible to the tested insecticides. Thus there was no evidence to suggest that timing applications against specific life stages would significantly improve pest control.

The heteropteran fauna in three apple orchards in Kent and East Sussex, England was surveyed in 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2006. As a result of intensive sampling, a total of 104 species were recorded. Ninety species were recorded in an experimental apple orchard at East Malling Research, Kent, which had replicated plots subject to different pesticide management regimes, while 43 and 38 species were recorded in two commercial organic apple orchards near Marden, Kent and Robertsbridge, East Sussex, respectively. In the canopy layer the abundant species, in decreasing order of their relative abundance, were Orius vicinus, Atractotomus mali, Anthocoris nemorum, Heterotoma planicornis, Phytocoris reuteri, Lygus rugulipennis, Phytocoris longipennis, Palomena prasina, Orthotylus marginalis, Blepharidopterus angulatus and Deraeocoris ruber . These 11 species comprised at least 80% of the total Heteroptera abundance in the canopy in each apple orchard. The composition of bug communities differed between years and betwe...

SYNOPSIS Descriptions are given of specimens of Lygus rugulipennis, L. wagneri and L. punctatus collected in central Scotland.

Harmful Hemiptera ofLygus Genus(Miridae, Hemiptera) On Alfalfa (Medicago SativaL.) In Hamedan Province (Western Iran)The research on the occurrence of herbivorous heteroptera ofLygusgenus on alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) was carried out over 2005-2006 in the Hamedan province (Western Iran). The analysis of the faunistic material collected from Hemiptera showed the occurrence of 4 species where dominant Heteroptera were represented by:Lygus rugulipennisPoppius,L. pratensisL.,L. gemellatusH.-S. andL. punctatusZ. The maximum abundance of these species coincided with full flowering alfalfa. AmongLygusspecies,L. rugulipennisP. was the most highly abundant in alfalfa's the main species in these fields.

Wind tunnel and vertical open Y-shaped olfactometer studies are used to test whether volatile cues from the host plant ( Vicia faba ), from conspecific bugs, and from a plant - conspecifics combination, would elicit behavioural responses in mated males and females of Lygus rugulipennis . In the olfactometer, females move towards volatiles from healthy plants but they do not respond to volatiles released by oviposition- and/or feeding-damaged plants without conspecifics, nor to conspecifics alone. Both in the wind tunnel and olfactometer, females respond to volatiles emitted by the plant - insect complex. By contrast, in the wind tunnel, both sexes move significantly towards damaged host plants, even if the presence of conspecifics on these plants enhances only the female response. However, the presence of eggs from conspecifics on host plants reduces the responses of both sexes in the wind tunnel. Finally, males, as well as females, are less responsive to conspecifics alone compared with damaged plants, especially when conspecifics are present on the host plants (host plant - Lygus complex). The results suggest that volatiles emitted by plants and conspecifics influence L. rugulipennis behav- iour, giving information to both sexes on the presence of suitable host plants that have been colonized by other conspecifics acting as pioneers, or providing information on the presence of an already exploited host plant (presence of eggs), thus preventing competi- tion. Males also can use this information to increase the probability of encountering mature females.

LygusHahn plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) are serious pests of a wide variety of economically important crops in North America. EuropeanPeristenus digoneutisLoan andP. relictusRuthe (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are being considered for release in Canada as part of a classical biological control program forLygus. The attractiveness of different host plants to EuropeanPeristenushas not been addressed, but may be an important consideration prior to parasitoid release.Lygus rugulipennisPoppius nymphs were collected in the Northern Temperate Atlantic (NTA) ecoregion on red clover (Trifolium pratenseL.; Fabaceae) and chamomile (Matricaria recutitaL.; Asteraceae), and in the Western European Broadleaf Forest (WEBF) ecoregion on red clover and alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.; Fabaceae). Parasitism levels and parasitoid species were determined using a multiplex PCR assay forP. digoneutis,P. relictus, andP. pallipesCurtis. Mean parasitism levels inL. rugulipenniswere 45–49% in the NTA ecoregion and 25–32% in the WEBF ecoregion. However, in neither ecoregion were parasitism levels and parasitoid species compositions significantly different in nymphs from different host plant species. Furthermore, multiparasitism was low despite the fact thatP. digoneutisandP. relictusshare the same host species.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different diets on the development and reproduction of Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Heteroptera: Miridae). Using 2 laboratory generations (F1 and F2) obtained from field-collected L. rugulipennis, the following diets were tested: beans, beans plus Tenebrio molitor (L.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) pupae, and a commercial artificial diet, which was developed for mass rearing of Lygus hesperus Knight. As oviposition substrates, beans and agar/parafilm rolls were used. Our data show that both the artificial diet and the artificial oviposition substrate were ineffective substitutes for beans for both laboratory generations. Stage-dependent and total survival rates clearly indicated that F1 Lygus bugs survive significantly longer when they are reared on vegetable substrates i.e., beans and beans plus pupae. The differential effects of the diets were more pronounced in the F2 generation, in which the embryonic development was longer for eggs from females reared on the artificial diet than on beans, and in which the second instar nymphs did not survive on the artificial diet. Both the total duration of post-embryonic development and the longevity of F1 males were shorter on the artificial diet than on beans. Female fecundity was affected by diet in terms of total duration of the oviposition period and mean number of eggs laid/female, since these parameters were lower on the artificial substrate, compared with those obtained on the bean substrate. However, the diet did not affect the morphological parameters, as there were no significant variations in weight, width of cephalic capsule, and tibia and hemelytra length. Since L. rugulipennis cannot be reared on the commercially available artificial diet, we discuss the necessity to improve both the artificial diet and oviposition substrate so that this Lygus bug and its specific egg parasitod Anaphes fuscipennis Haliday (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) can be mass reared.

Effect of Neem Treeextract on Heteroptera Bugs Occurrence in Bean Grown for Seeds The evaluation of natural and chemical pesticides in Heteroptera bugs control was carried out in the field experiment conducted during 2003-2005 at Skierniewice. Lambda-cyhalothrin (Karate 025 EC) registered for Heteroptera bugs control in conventional cultivation of bean and Neem Tree extract (Neem Azal TS) recommended for organic farming were examined. During the three years of experiment the highest population out of the whole Heteroptera bugs made Lygus rugulipennis, 92.4-96.1% in dependence on the year. Though the percentage of the mentioned species was almost similar in all years, still the number of caught insects differed in years from 735 to 1231 adults respectively. The differences in the bugs occurrence according to the year were significant. In 2003 the number of all Heteroptera species found during the whole vegetation season was the lowest and made 782 specimen as compared to 2004 when the total number of all Heteroptera bugs was 1332 specimen. In consequence the yield of bean seeds was the most seriously damaged in 2004. Both treatments significantly limited the number of Heteroptera bugs at the time of bean flowering and pot setting as compared to untreated control. Both pesticides reduced the amount of damaged seeds and the efficacy of the treatment increased as the number of application increased from once till three times treatment.

Endo-polygalacturonases (PGs) are hydrolytic enzymes involved in the degradation of pectin, one of the major compo- nents of plant cell wall. While PGs from fungi, bacteria and plants have been extensively studied, PGs from insects are much less known, although they are likely to play an important role in insect-plant interactions. Presence of PGs has been reported for both piercing-sucking and chewing insect species, and possibly more commonly in mirid bugs (Heteroptera: Miridae). A screening of some common mirid species and other insects, belonging to different orders and families, was conducted using agarose diffusion assays run at different pHs. All the mirid species tested (Lygus rugulipennis Popp., L. pratensis (L.), Orthops kalmi (L.), Adelpho- coris lineolatus (Goeze) and Closterotomus norwegicus (Gmelin)) showed PG activity, mainly at pH 7-8, whereas no activity was recorded for the other insect species, except Sitophilus sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). PG activity in females of L. pratensis was significantly higher than in males, whereas there were no differences between the sexes in the other species. In all these species, PGs were present both in the salivary glands and the gut, with a higher activity in the salivary glands, confirming the role of these enzymes in the feeding behaviour of mirid bugs. Inhibition of mirid PGs by polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) from dif- ferent plant sources was analysed at pH 7. PGIPs are extracellular plant proteins known for their ability to inhibit fungal PGs and restrict fungal colonization. Two PGIPs from Phaseolus vulgaris (PvPGIP3 and PvPGIP4) inhibited PGs of all the mirid bugs tested. This information may be helpful for the development of innovative insect-resistant plant varieties, for use in low-impact IPM.

Feeding by the tarnished plant bug (Lygus rugulipennis Popp.) has caused severe damage in Norwegian nurseries. Large quantities of seedlings have been removed after sorting. The life cycle of the insect has been well studied and documented. This study was a first attempt to investigate how the seedlings develop after the insect attacks. The first visible sign of damage is the development of multiple terminal buds. Two-year-old containerized seedlings were planted and followed for 4 years. Before planting, the seedlings were sorted into three damage classes: 0, undamaged; I, moderately damaged, up to 10 fully developed buds; and II, severely damaged, 10–20 small buds and no dominant apical bud. The damaged seedlings were somewhat shorter at planting but this difference disappeared with time. The seedlings in the two damage classes differed in their development of multiple shoots. At the end of the 4 year period about 50% of the seedlings in class II and about 20% from class I still had multiple le...

Lygus rugulipennis Poppius, 1911 Distribution in Iran. Ardabil (Modarres Awal 1987 under the combination Exolygus rugulipennis; Linnavuori 2007; Havaskary et al. 2012), East Azarbaijan (Modarres Awal 1997 a, c; Farshbaf Pour-Abad 2000 and Khalilzadeh 2008, both under the combination Exolygus rugulipennis; Linnavuori 2009; Hassazadeh et al. 2009 a, b; Sadeghi et al. 2009; Khaghaninia et al. 2010 a, c, 2011, 2013; Nikdel et al. 2011; Havaskary et al. 2012), Golestan (Karimian & Khormali 2006; Linnavuori 2007), Hamadan (Modarres Awal 1997 c; Khanjani & Kalafchi 2000; Mirab-balou et al. 2007, 2008; Mirab-balou & Radjabi 2013), Kermanshah (Linnavuori 2009), Lorestan (Linnavuori 2009), Khorasan (Modarres Awal 1997 b; Linnavuori & Modarres Awal 1999; Havaskary et al. 2010), Kordestan (Ebrahimi et al. 2012), Lorestan (Linnavuori 2009), Markazi (Arkani et al. 2011), Tehran (Linnavuori 2007), West Azarbaijan (Linnavuori 2009; Gharaat et al. 2009), Zanjan (Linnavuori 2007; Askari et al. 2009), Iran (no locality cited) (Kerzhner & Josifov 1999; Khanjani 2006; Lashkari & Hosseini 2012 —key of Iranian species). General distribution and hosts. An Holarctic species; a pest living on numerous host plants including, alfalfa (Modarres Awal 1997 a; Farshbaf Pour-Abad 2000; Khanjani & Kalafchi 2000; Khanjani 2006; Mirab-balou et al. 2007, 2008; Khalilzadeh 2008; Khaghaninia et al. 2010 c, 2011), lucerne (Modarres Awal 1997 b, 1997 c; Hassazadeh et al. 2009 b; Ebrahimi et al. 2012), Onobrychis sativa (Ebrahimi et al. 2012), Pirus malus (Ebrahimi et al. 2012), potato (Modarres Awal 1997 c; Hassazadeh et al. 2009 a; Ebrahimi et al. 2012), sugar-beet (Askari et al. 2009), Synapis sp. (Modarres Awal 1997 b), Triflium sp. (Ebrahimi et al. 2012), wheat (Linnavuori & Modarres Awal 1999; Linnavuori 2009)., Published as part of Ghahari, Hassan & Chérot, Frédéric, 2014, An annotated catalog of the Iranian Miridae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha), pp. 1-101 in Zootaxa 3845 (1) on page 21, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3845.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/230400, {"references":["Modarres Awal, M. (1987) Collecting and determining of the fauna of Heteroptera in Ardabil area and research station of university of Tabriz in Moghan. Journal of the Entomological Society of Iran, 9, 15 - 28. [in Persian, English summary]","Linnavuori, R. E. (2007) Studies on the Miridae (Heteroptera) of Gilan and the adjacent provinces in northern Iran. II. List of species. Acta Entomologica Musei Nationalis Pragae, 47, 17 - 56.","Havaskary, M., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R., Kazemi, M. H., Refeii, A. & Havaskary, S. (2012) An investigation to the fauna of Cimicomorpha (Heteroptera) from Parsabad-e-Moghan and vicinity, NW Iran. Munis Entomology & Zoology, 7 (2), 1101 - 1105.","Modarres Awal, M. (1997 a) Determination of some fauna of Cimicomorpha and Pentatomorpha (Het.) in Tabriz area. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 7, 43 - 56.","Modarres Awal, M. (1997 c) Family Miridae. In: Modarres Awal, M. (Ed.), List of agricultural pests and their natural enemies in Iran. Ferdowsi University Press, Mashhad, pp. 73 - 75.","Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R. (2000) Heteroptera fauna of alfalfa fields of Maragheh and nearby cities. Proceedings of 14 th Iranian Plant Protection Congress, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, 232 pp.","Khalilzadeh, A. (2008) Identification of Heteroptera fauna of alfalfa fields in Azarshahr region of Azarbayejane-sharqi province, Iran. Journal of New Agricultural Science, 4 (9), 5.","Hassazadeh, M., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R. & Shayesteh, N. (2009 a) An investigation on some Heteroptera in Marand region (Iran). Munis Entomology & Zoology, 4 (1), 19 - 24.","Hassazadeh, M., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R., Gharaat, M. A. & Beykpor, A. R. (2009 b) A study of the Heteroptera fauna of Shend Abad Region and environ (Iran). Munis Entomology & Zoology, 4 (2), 527 - 530.","Sadeghi, R., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R., Kazemi, H. & Hassanzadeh, M. (2009) Introduction of some Heteroptera of Qurigol (Iran). Munis Entomology & Zoology, 4 (2), 498 - 500.","Khaghaninia, S., Askari, O., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R. & Shalim, K. (2010 a) Some additional notes about Heteroptera fauna of Qaradag forests-Iran. Munis Entomology & Zoology, 5 (2), 513 - 518.","Khaghaninia, S., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R., Askari, O. & Fent, M. (2010 c) An introduction to true bugs fauna of Gunber valley including two new records for Iranian fauna (Hemiptera: Heteroptera). Munis Entomology & Zoology, 5 (2), 354 - 360.","Khaghaninia, S., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R. & Askari, O. (2011) A contribution to the Heteroptera fauna of Zunuz region, northwest of Iran. North-Western Journal of Zoology, 7 (1), 35 - 38.","Khaghaninia, S., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R., Askari, O. & Havaskari, M. (2013) A faunistic study of True Bugs (Heteroptera) from Horand Grasslands, NW Iran. Munis Entomology & Zoology, 8 (1), 468 - 474.","Nikdel, M., Dordaei, A. A. & Matocq, A. (2011) Faunistic study on Hemiptera in Arasbaran area (East Azarbaijan province, Iran). Munis Entomology & Zoology, 6 (1), 389 - 395.","Karimian, Z. & Khormali, S. (2006) Identification the cotton damaging bugs and determining the abundance of major species in different microclimate of Golestan province. Proceedings of 17 th Iranian Plant Protection Congress, Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, 83 pp.","Khanjani, M. & Kalafchi, M. (2000) Recognition of seed crop alfalfa pests and study on the biology of dominant injurious species in Hamadan. Proceedings of 14 th Iranian Plant Protection Congress, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, pp. 24.","Modarres Awal, M. (1997 b) Studies on some of Miridae, Reduviidae and Tingidae fauna in north of Khorasan province.","Linnavuori, R. E. & Modarres Awal, M. (1999) Studies on the Heteroptera of the Khorasan province in N. E. Iran. II. Cimicomorpha: Miridae. Entomologica Fennica, 10, 215 - 231.","Ebrahimi, A., Hosseini, R. & Vafai Shoushtari, R. (2012) A faunal study of plant bugs (Hemiptera: Miridae) in Ghorveh and its counties (Kurdistan province, Iran). Entomofauna, 33 (4), 25 - 40.","Arkani, T., Hosseini, R. & Vafaei Shoushtari, R. (2011) Faunistic study of plant bugs (Miridae) and determination of dominant species in the agricultural farmlands and gardens of Arak and suburbs. Journal of Entomological Research, 3 (2), 85 - 93. [in Persian, English summary]","Askari, O., Farshbaf Pour-Abad, R. & Khaghaninia, S. (2009) Faunistic study of Heteroptera of Zanjan Roud region in Zanjan province of Iran. Munis Entomology & Zoology, 4, 560 - 563.","Kerzhner, I. M. & Josifov, M. (1999) Miridae. In: Aukema, B. & Rieger, C. (Eds.), Catalogue of the Heteroptera of the Palaearctic region. Vol. 3. Cimicomorpha II. The Netherlands Entomological Society, Amsterdam, pp. 1 - 577.","Khanjani, M. (2006) Field crop pests in Iran. Bu-Ali Sina University of Hamadan Press, Hamedan, 719 pp. [in Persian]","Lashkari, M. R. & Hosseini, R. (2012) A revised identification key to the Lygus - species in Iran (Hemiptera: Miridae). Entomofauna, 33 (9), 81 - 92."]}

Lygus Hahn (Hemiptera: Miridae) are serious pests of agricultural and greenhouse crops throughout North America. In Europe, bivoltine Peristenus Forster (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) species have a significant impact on Lygus populations. Release and establishment of European P. digoneutis Loan in Lygus lineolaris (Palisot de Beauvois) populations in northeastern USA has renewed interest in the intended liberation of European parasitoids for Lygus control in Canada. Accurate identification of natural enemies is the cornerstone of biological control but conventional methods for identifying Peristenus species and estimating parasitism rates rely on tedious and time-consuming dissection and rearing methods. The present study describes species-specific PCR primers for three species of Peristenus, and the use of a multiplex PCR assay to detect P. digoneutis and P. stygicus Loan eggs and larvae from Lygus rugulipennis Poppius nymphs. Results indicate that the primers amplify uniquely sized, species-specifi...

Previous work showed that females of the European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Heteroptera: Miridae), produced three chemicals, hexyl butyrate, (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate, and (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal, and that these were suspected to be components of the female sex pheromone. In field experiments, traps baited with blends of these chemicals dispensed from polyethylene vials and sachets failed to catch significant numbers of males. Here, we report more recent field experiments in which the chemicals were released from glass microcapillary tubes. A blend of hexyl butyrate and (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal was significantly attractive to male L. rugulipennis. In addition, whereas the mixture of all three components attracted fewer L. rugulipennis males, this tertiary blend captured significantly greater numbers of males of the congeneric species Lygus pratensis than the binary mixture. The possible reasons for the success of the microcapillaries compared with other dispensers are discussed.

Lygus spp. (tarnished plant bugs) are generalist herbivores and occur as pests on a wide range of crops. In the development of conservation biological control strategies for Lygus spp. in Sweden, more information is needed on the impact of different natural enemies. In this study, we determined the occurrence and the degree of parasitism on adults and nymphs of the most common Lygus species in alfalfa, barley, red clover and oilseed rape in Uppsala in Central Sweden and in Umea in Northern Sweden. Nymphs and adults of Lygus spp. were collected by sweep netting for estimation of their parasitism level (by dissection) and identification of parasitoid species (from reared Lygus specimens). The dominant Lygus species in both locations was L. rugulipennis (75–99%). Parasitism by Phasia obesa (Tachnidae) on overwintering Lygus adults was recorded in almost every field sampled at both locations. The parasitism level was low at overwintering sites but increased in arable fields during summer. Lygus nymph...

Before oviposition, a Lygus rugulipennis (Poppius) (Heteroptera: Miridae) female explores the substrate with her mouthparts, performing 'probing' behaviour which eventually leads to a choice of oviposition site. In this study, morphological and behavioural observations were carried out in order to define the mechanisms through which female bugs recognise suitable oviposition sites. The morphological study was conducted using electron-microscopy techniques, while the behavioural experiments aimed at the temporary (using ZnSO 4 ) or permanent (i.e., cauterization of the rostrum and ablation of both stylets and labium) inactivation of sensory structures located in the labium tip and in the stylets, which are probably involved in oviposition site selection. The tip of the labium of L. rugulipennis females is characterised by the presence of 11-12 uniporous gustatory sensilla which are innervated by 3 -6 sensory neurones. One aporous mechanoreceptor is located ventrally on both areas of the labium tip. Other aporous mechanosensilla are found more proximally on the labium. ZnSO 4 labium tip treatment did not affect oviposition site selection, while stylet amputations, as well as rostrum cauterisations, resulted in almost complete oviposition failure. Labium tip-ablated females oviposited similarly to control females. These results suggest that the sensory neurones associated with the stylets are involved in the location of the oviposition site. Uniporous gustatory sensilla on the labium tip are not involved in the final steps of the oviposition behaviour. However, they seem to play a role in assessing the suitability of the substrate as a food source.

Abamectin, Beauveria bassiana , buprofezin, pymetrozine, tebufenpyrad, acetamiprid and the coded product 60145 were tested in laboratory bioassays to determine their effects on the strawberry pests Anthonomus rubi , Lygus rugulipennis and Chaetosiphon fragaefolii and on the predatory species Phytoseiulus persimilis and Chrysoperla carnea . Abamectin, acetamiprid, tebufenpyrad and 60145 were the most effective insecticides against the pests. These four compounds all had some effect on P. persimilis , but acetamiprid was the least toxic (63% mortality after 48 h). Abamectin, tebufenpyrad and 60145 had no detectable effect on C. carnea larvae, whereas acetamiprid caused 38% mortality after 72 h. In field experiments where acetamiprid, 60145 and abamectin were tested against C. fragaefolii , acetamiprid was very effective at reducing numbers of the aphid. Naturally occurring beneficial anthocorid species were reduced in number but not eliminated in the acetamiprid treatment. In field tests acetamiprid, abamectin and thiacloprid were less effective against L. rugulipennis than the industry standard chlorpyrifos. Reductions were small but statistically significant in the acetamiprid and thiacloprid treatments. Fruit damage was also reduced in these treatments. There was no detectable effect of these insecticides on naturally occurring beneficial species.

Field experiments in SE England in 1997–1999 were used to determine strawberry crop losses due to the European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis. Feeding by the pest on flowers and developing fruits caused malformation of fruits at harvest. A range of pest population densities were generated by different insecticide spray programmes on replicated plots. Relative pest populations were estimated by sampling 40 plants per plot with a beating tray. This method of sampling was shown to have a similar efficiency to suction sampling. A positive correlation was found between the percentage of fruit with moderate or severe malformation and the number of adults plus nymphs of L. rugulipennis. The mean berry weight was also significantly lower in plots with high L. rugulipennis numbers at some sampling dates. A regression analysis of the percentage of moderately and severely malformed fruit against the number of L. rugulipennis was highly significant (P