Studies on some Economic Lepidopteran Pests of Date Palm Fruits and their Associated Parasitoid and Predatory Species in Siwa Oasis, Egypt.

Lepidopteran date palm fruit pests and their associated parasitoid and predatory species were surveyed in two localities, Ireghin and Hakuk, Siwa Oasis, Egypt, during the two successive years 2012 and 2013. Five insect pest species were recorded, i.e., Arenipses sabella Hampson (Pyralidae), Batrachedra amydraula Meyrick (Cosmpterigidae), Ephestia cautella Walker, E. calidella Guenee and Ectomyelois ceratoniae Zeller (Pyralidae). Three predatory species; Chrysoperla carnea (Steph) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae); Orius spp. and Xylocoris flavipes Reuter (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) were found associated with the pests in date orchards. Respective average infestation percentages with these pests in 2012 and 2013 were (5.8, 8.27%) in bunch dates and (79.82, 88.89%) in fallen dates at Ireghin, while in Hakuk, they were (6.23, 8.48%) in bunch date and (83.93, 87.86) in fallen dates. Only one parasitoid species Bracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), was recorded during the study. Percentages of parasitism averaged (6.10 and 9.97%) at Ireghin and (6.10, 6.93%) at Hakuk during the two seasons, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]